The Inevitable Life of Chuck Bartowski
by jomarch05
Summary: What propels Associate Professor Chuck Bartowski is fate and need while Agent Sarah Walker is guided by duty and want, both moving towards the inevitable. AU story where Bryce is the current Intersect and Sarah was a candidate for Project Omaha.
1. Pieces of a Puzzle

**A/N - I do not own Chuck although if I did, Sarah and Chuck would have had a condom during Chuck vs the Colonel and they would start S3 as a married couple (those who read The End Is Only The Beginning can attest to that:D).**

**Anyhoo, since I am addicted to writing fanfic currently, I was toying with different ideas and the one to really stick out was the fact that I think fate plays a big part in Chuck's life although his choices are purely driven by the type of person he is and who he would like to be. This just explores an alternate timeline where Chuck's a professor at Stanford, Sarah's still a CIA agent and Bryce is the Intersect. Would their choices change, would they really end up in a different place? Maybe the destination is the same but trust me, the journey will be so different :).  
**

**Just wanted to thank wepdiggy for reading the first draft and giving me the idea for the flashbacks. I pay homage to the King of AUs :)**

**The Inevitable Life of Chuck Bartowski**

**Chapter 1 Pieces of a Puzzle**

_**Silverlake, Los Angeles**__**, 8.00 pm, 18th September 2007**_

_"Chuck, I'm not going to fight with you on your birthday. We'll talk about it later." Ellie let's out another exasperated sigh as she notes the hurt expression on her brother's face. She really does love him but at times like these, she has to remind herself that she's the older one and that it's her job to look out for him when he's too blind and pig-headed to look out for himself._

_"I don't want to fight either but it's our dad. How can you.."He lets his sentence trail off as he runs his fingers though his hair. He knows he needs a haircut but between his research at the University as well as his after hours search for his father, he really does not have any spare time. The only reason he drove out to LA was to tell Ellie the possible good news. She was the one who had taken the initiative to throw him a surprise party. "Ellie, I think I found him." Chuck does not want to sound too hopeful because it's not the first lead he has had although it does seem to be the most promising._

_"No" She does not like sounding shrill or being the one to cause his face to fall but it seems that it's all she's been doing for the past few years ever since he took it upon himself to search for their dad. "Don't you understand, he left us and he didn't come for our graduations or called on our birthdays. He's gone and I say good riddance." Ellie blinks away the tears, not wanting to rehash the past and relive the hurts._

_"How can you say that? Maybe...maybe he had a good reason." He sees her shut her eyes, her hands clenched by her side and he knows that he has gone too far. "It's ok, we'll talk about it later. Awesome said you invited real doctors for my party, you know cause my doctorate doesn't rate." He smiles and holds out his hand, hoping that she accepts the truce he's offering. Chuck knows how much Ellie had to give up in when their dad left. She had worked all through medical school and still ensured that he finished college and graduate school as well. She never complained but he understood that the abandonment had hurt her irreparably and it was the one thing she had asked him not to pursue._

_"I....I can't do this anymore. I can't see you try and find him and each time you fail, I have to pick up the pieces. All the while dreading the fact that one day you might succeed." Her voice is thick with emotion, her tears spilling over because she can't hold back any longer but still she tries to swipe them away._

_"What are you saying? Ellie?" She's been all he's had for so long, that it's inconceivable to contemplate not having her in his life. "You can't mean it?" The incredulity is evident in his voice as he holds on to her arms and forces her to look at him. It's then that he sees the truth reflected in her eyes, that he's been hurting her with his quest but that he's also powerless to stop it._

_"I'll be here when you stop looking." She does not want to do this, does not want to give him an ultimatum but as his big sister, she knows she has to do something. He's practically put his life on hold, just concentrating on his research and in his spare time, looking for their father, wanting answers he does not need. She wants more for him but realizes that he has to want that for himself as well._

_"I...I'll say goodbye to Awesome" He leans in and kisses her on the forehead, closing his eyes to her tears as he turns away. He cannot explain the gnawing need he feels that compels him in his search for his father but he also cannot continue to hurt his sister. It's not a choice he wants to make but understands that perhaps it the only choice available for right now. Chuck does not look back as he walks away._

**Stanford Quad, 11.21 am, 23rd March 2009**

"Professor Bartowski!"

Chuck looks up from his prone position in the middle of the quad and has to shield his eyes to see who has called out his name. The sun's out and it's the first taste of sunlight he's had in weeks so he really does not feel like entertaining any of the student body currently. However, he's still just an Associate Professor with no tenure and if he does not publish soon, the dean's probably going to ask him to leave. The only thing going for him was the fact that he kept getting the highest attendance in most of his classes and all the students voted him Best Lecturer three years running. He can see Alice, Fleming's Teaching Assistant waving at him from the side and he does not have the heart to ignore her so he waves her over. She's a pretty brunette, slim and tall although Chuck has always been reminded of Ellie each time he sees her.

"Hey Alice, what can I do for you?" Chuck can't figure out why she blushes so much when he talks to her and he's always been too polite to ask.

"Umm, hi umm, Professor Fleming sent me to ask you umm if you umm, can take his classes for the next two weeks. He says he has a breakthrough in his program and needs time to umm, refine his paper." She tries not to look into his brown eyes because the last time she did that, she lost her train of thought and just stared for a good minute before he asked her if she was having a seizure of some sort. Unlike the other girls on campus, she didn't speculate as to why he did not date rampantly through the female population on or off campus. The current betting pool had gay and secretly married tied at two to one odds. Alice just knew that both were way off the mark and that the truth was more mundane. She saw his worried looks every time Professor Fleming talked about one of his published papers and knew that all Professor Bartowski wanted was to finish his own program and publish it to gain tenure. That's why he didn't date despite having most of the graduate students and some of the other teachers drop hints the size of anvils about their availability and dearth of weekend activities.

Chuck knows he cannot afford to anger George Fleming who by all intents and purposes has been his mentor these past few years. Even more than that, he's probably been his only friend and confidant besides Morgan. He wished it was different and that people like Jill and Ellie were still in his life but he can't regret the past any more than he can change it despite wishing otherwise. "All of them?" He's pretty sure that George knows that he still has his own program to finish and that the dean has given him an ultimatum. However, he's also quite sure that George is still too self-centered to care. Chuck knows he can say no but friendship and loyalty prompts him to refrain from refusing.

Alice just nods, not really liking the task at hand. She knows that he's been working nights and weekends and has had to take over Fleming's class a number of times this past year. She wished he would say no and to stand up to Professor Fleming but she can see that he's a soft touch and feels even more compelled to help him knowing that Fleming's doing more than just taking advantage of his good nature. "I'll help, if..umm..I mean if you need help, I'll help. Grade papers, set the umm, tutorial schedules, anything you need." Alice can't help the blush that reddens her cheeks as he smiles widely at her. She does not deserve the smile and it adds to her guilt.

"That's really nice of you but wouldn't professor Fleming want you to help him with his project and also have time for your own work?" Chuck could definitely use the help but he knows what's its like to be a TA and the workload they carry. He has never liked taking advantage of people and would not like to start now.

"Umm, no, he said that I can assist you if you do take his classes." Actually Professor Fleming's exact words were to do anything to get Professor Bartowski to say yes, so she does not feel like she's being desperate for volunteering her time. She hopes eventually that he'll finish his program and when he does, she'll be there waiting for him.

"Ok, thanks. Well, I'll see you next week in class then." Chuck smiles and stands up, dusting himself off. If he's going to take extra classes next week, he cannot afford to spend anymore time out here, soaking up the sun, and knows he needs to get back to his office and continue working on his paper. Chuck doesn't often regret his life choices but on days like these, it's difficult to accept that all he really has is his half finish program on three-dimensional textured subliminal imagery and nothing much else, no private life and not much of a family. Eventually he hopes that tenure and perhaps finally calling Ellie and maybe even saying yes to one of the offers of a date would finally fill the void he often feels. He looks wistfully at the laughing students surrounding him as he makes his way back to his office, head down, hands in his pockets. He does not see the same wistful look on Alice's face as she looks at his retreating back.

_**Marriabbad, Pakistan,**__** 2.13am, January 13th 2008**_

_Sarah's running along the streets, trying to stay in the shadows and back lanes. The bottles of morphine and antibiotics clanking together in her coat pocket. She wanted to burn the hard drugs she saw in the room but could only handle one mission at a time. She'll try her best to go back later in the day as soon as she finishes what she needs to do. She can't afford to let the medicine bottles break so she slows down finally stopping in a small back lane. She removes the morphine and places it in her back pocket. The headlights of the car illuminate her suddenly as it turns into the lane and she does not have time to do more than roll away as it barrels towards her._

_The three men that exit the vehicle are already surrounding her, one pulls off her hood and her long blond hair tumbles out catching them by surprise. It's enough of a distraction for her to kick back and catch the nearest one in the throat. She sees the gun in the holster on the one to her left and she immediately tackles him to the ground, his elbow catching her in the chin. Sarah smashes down on his solar plexus, stunning him and removes his gun just in time to shoot the third and hit the second one across the jaw with his own gun. The sound of the shot echoing off the walls of the buildings surrounding them. She did not want this to happen but does not have a choice now as she runs towards the main street once again. It's only the sound of a thud that stops her in her tracks. The three men are still prone on the ground and but she checks them nonetheless. It's only when she hears the sound of something being hit does she note that it's coming from the trunk of their car._

_Sarah knows she cannot afford to waste too much time but she also believes that the enemies of her enemies may become her ally. She slowly makes her way to the car and pops the trunk, the gun in her hand held firm as the trunk opens wide._

"_Don't you touch me" The voice is belligerent and most definitely female._

"_Carina?" Sarah can see that she's hurt, a gash across her scalp bleeding sluggishly while the bruises are forming on her arms and face. She helps her out of the car and can see the recognition on her face._

_"Sarah? What are you doing here? Where's that bastard Bryce." She's unsteady on her feet but the fury she feels is enough push her forward as she grabs for Sarah's arm._

_"That's not fair and you know it. Bryce didn't give the order, just the intel." Sarah does not like the defensive tone her voice has taken on but she knows that it's becoming more and more the norm. Explaining away the small inconsistencies in the information or even covering up the blackouts were now part of her job." How did you end up in the car?" This mission had been a bust from the start. The DEA never played nice with anyone and only wanted the use of the Intersect ignoring the fact that both her and Bryce were top-notch agents._

_"Martinez approved the raid but there were too many of them and there was a firefight, I got ambushed and stuffed in the trunk." Carina can sense that there is more to Sarah's story, "Why were they pursuing you?"_

_"Bryce is hurt and they had a full medical store so I thought that they would not miss any. I guess I was wrong." Sarah hopes that Carina is too angry and too full of righteous indignation to probe any further. Bryce had flashed as soon as he had entered the building, passing on all the information to Martinez. They had then been sent back to the campsite with the lone prisoner caught at the site. It was only in the car that the prisoner had started talking and triggered another more intense Flash which gave vague directions to their main warehouse where all the drugs were being kept. Bryce had called up Martinez and had been relaying the information when the nosebleed started. He had passed out soon after which prompted Sarah's own raid on the warehouse._

_"Martinez won't let this go." Carina, moves unsteadily towards the car and buckles herself into the driver's seat. She does not want to have to choose sides and therefore does not offer Sarah a lift as she starts the car._

_"Bryce did his job and Martinez will have to go through me and Graham first." Sarah knows that it's partially an empty threat but one that Carina will take back. She does not look back as she turns and runs back towards the campsite, hoping that Bryce would at least have regained consciousness by now._

**CIA Headquarters, Langley Virginia,**** 8.53am, 23rd March 2009**

Bryce's head feels like its about to explode and the four advils he has taken has done little to ease the pain. He's in one of his bespoke suits although the collar seems too tight and he feels so constricted, like his skin is pulled too taut around his body. He knows Sarah is surreptitiously glancing his way, unsure of what to say but wanting to give him some sort of support so she just settles for putting her hand on top of his. He concentrates on the soft weight of her hand, feeling the warmth it provides while regretting that it's all the physical comfort she'll ever give him. Luckily, the nosebleeds have not started as yet although if he takes into account the extent of the pain currently, he knows that it's only a matter of time.

He wills the door to open and to let them into Graham's inner sanctum. He wants to get this review over with so that he can finally take stronger medication and knock himself out until he's needed again. It's not the life he envisioned for himself but Bryce knows that he does make a difference albeit a small one, in the fight against Fulcrum. He hears a belligerent voice in the hallway and closes his eyes, not wanting to see the person it belongs to. He feels Sarah's hand press down slightly harder on his and is grateful for her non-verbal gesture. He knows how much it is costing her to support him here but the sad truth is that she is all he really has.

Major John Casey strides into the alcove, back ramrod straight, perpetual scowl on his face, which transforms into a snarl as he notices the two sitting agents. He closes the phone he had been shouting into and goes to stand next to the window. He has to control his temper, knowing that he's in CIA headquarters and not back at his own stomping grounds. It is a difficult task to wait in the same room as the man responsible for killing his partner. He catches Agent Walker's eye and is taken aback at the defiance he sees there. Surprisingly, it does not increase the anger he feels but gives him pause. He knows her background, decorated agent with more than eight years experience in the field. She had been the one who had risked her life and stayed with Pete as he lay bleeding on the ground. She was the one who had torn up her shirt and tried to stem the blood flow to no avail.

It's only then that the door finally opens and the three people are ushered into Langston Graham's office.

"Sit down" Graham does not bark out the words but both Agent's Larkin and Walker can recognize an order when they hear it and they take two of the chairs that have been arranged in front of his large oak desk. It's just now down to a contest of wills between Casey and Graham as they stare down each other. It's only when the large screen on the wall, comes to life and General Beckman comes online, does Casey relent and take the remaining seat.

Graham sighs as he prepares to start, not liking what he has to do but understanding that inter agency policy dictates that it is necessary currently. A life had been lost, not senselessly per se but still, there was a good possibility that it could have been avoided. "I call to session this informal review on the 23rd of March, year 2009, in order to fully understand the steps taken by Agent's Larkin and Walker that could have led to the death of one Captain Peter O' Shea two days ago in a compound in Odessa, Texas."

The headache has now reached its apex and Bryce has trouble following every word that Graham has spoken. He can barely sit upright but forces himself to do so, knowing that both their careers depend on it. He looks over at Sarah and can see that she knows the strain he's under by the sad smile that graces her face. It does not completely soothe the immense pain in his head but it does give him a small measure of comfort, as does her voice when she speaks for the first time.

Sarah can see that Bryce is on the brink of one of his bad spells. There's no medical term for it although she knows Dr Busgang has referred to it as an unfortunate side effect of Bryce's brain trying to adapt to its unusual usage as the Intersect. To Bryce, it just meant uncontrollable pain and to her it meant that she needed to be more vigilant and protective of him during the time that the pain would incapacitate him. She realizes she needs to move this review along because by her count, Bryce has less than an hour.

"Sir, if I may?" She let's the question hang there, knowing that Graham just wants this over, with as little damage to the CIA's reputation as possible. Because of it, Sarah knows that she has to protect Bryce at all cost and not let them hang him out to dry. What happened was a tragedy but it still did not mean that Bryce did not do the best job he could. The damn Intersect in his head had malfunctioned again providing them with incomplete data. It was a replay of Pakistan but this time, Pete had not been as lucky as Carina. Having said that, it was still the NSA's decision to move in despite being told that they were not a hundred per cent sure of the validity of the information. "As you know, Agent Larkin and I have been seconded to Major Casey's team for the past three months. Our main task was to infiltrate a white supremacist organization with links to Fulcrum. Agent Larkin's additional mission was to gather information that would trigger Intersect Flashes and allow us a greater understanding of Fulcrum's US operations."

Bryce clenches his jaw, the room is beginning to feel warm but he knows he cannot show any weakness now. It's takes a huge effort to speak but he does so anyway, knowing that Graham expects it and Casey doesn't. "The first few Flashes were good." Casey's interjecting grunt does not phase him as he continues," giving us intel on their other bases. Unfortunately, the longer I was there, it seemed the information from the Flashes I received became less and less reliable. The last one was three days ago regarding a potential bioweapon shipment to the Odessa base from an external unknown seller." He slowly stands and makes his way over to the small fridge in the corner where he helps himself to some water. The walk taking a lot out of him and its only by sheer will is he still standing. It's the first time he has looked directly at Sarah and he can see the worried expression she has been trying to hide, her eyes full of concern. He leans back against the side cupboard, his arms folded, his eyes now looking into the distance as he recalls the next part.

"I informed Major Casey and Captain O' Shea of the shipment but also the fact that we were not sure of it's reliability." Bryce had come back from a run and in passing one of the brotherhood, had overhead a code word that triggered a Flash. He had barely made it into their room before collapsing and having a seizure, which wiped out most of the information provided by the Flash.

Sarah knows that she should tell Graham the truth about Bryce's deteriorating condition but now is not the time. All she can remember right now is the feel of Pete's warm blood on her hands as she frantically tried to stem its flow only to realize that it was useless. She has to remind herself to not look at her hands and instead concentrate on Bryce's voice." Captain O'Shea still felt though that the information was enough to trigger a response team to intercept the shipment." She had liked Pete. Had liked him enough to actually say yes when he had asked her out on a date four months ago. He had taken her to an Irish pub and they had drunk Guinness and eaten meat pies and she would have liked to be asked out again, only Pete had died in her arms two days ago.

"Is that right, Major Casey?" General Beckman has never been a proponent of the Intersect project although its earlier successes did somewhat ameliorate her strong negative views. However, the string of recent failures has shown that it is definitely time to upgrade the project and take it out from the CIA's sole aegis. Dr Busgang was working on too old technology with no access to anything new. The work with Bryce Larkin seemed to have hit a brick wall some time ago and even now, she can see that he has not been faring well. The new Intel she has received on Roark Industries Intersect cube may be just the solution she needs. If all goes well, it'll be the last intel she'll have to share with Graham before usurping the whole project for the NSA.

Casey nods, "Yes, ma'am. Captain O'Shea intercepted the delivery truck and we decided that he would perform the exchange. We were working off the premise that this was an unknown faction doing the sale as per the intel from Larkin." He cannot help the venom in his voice as he spits out Bryce's name. That was the crux of the matter. Although Walker kept insisting that the information was too vague, it was Larkin who had insisted that it was a new source, which they needed to shut down. He can see that the man can barely stand currently but cannot in any way drum up sympathy. Larkin had volunteered for the Intersect project and for the first few years, had lorded his superiority over the other agents. It's current malfunctioning state served him right although it did put the people around him at risk, like Pete and especially Walker. "That intel proved wrong and the moment they saw Captain O'Shea, they opened fire."

Sarah remembered hearing the gunshots and running towards the truck. She heard Bryce calling her name but she couldn't stop her forward momentum. She recalls the next part in great detail although her voice does not betray any emotion. "Pete had been wearing a vest but the Brotherhood had been prepared and had armor piercing bullets. I managed to get him out of the truck while Agent Larkin provided cover fire. I…" She had blown their cover, only realizing it when Bryce had to draw fire away from her and towards himself. "I broke cover and tried to save Captain O'Shea but his wounds were too extensive." She can still feel the blood pumping over her hands and has to again consciously stop herself from looking down at her fingers.

Bryce had been so sure that the information he retained from the Flash was correct, that he was still contributing to the fight against Fulcrum. "I'm sorry." He knows that the apology cannot bring back the dead or reclaim back months of undercover work but it's all he can say right now. Busgang had told him that without a better Intersect upgrade, he only has a few months left in the field anyway. He's banking on Fleming to come up with the break though he's been secretly working on. Bryce knows that Fleming's been blacklisted due to his suspected dealings with a few shady foreign organizations but nothing could or had been proven. Besides, in the most recent message from Fleming, he had talked about a breakthrough in the data architecture he was using. Bryce hasn't even told Sarah about any of it, not because he doesn't trust her but because he's afraid she'll lose more faith in him. All he needs is some more time. "Captain O'Shea's death was a tragedy but Fulcrum is still winning this war and right now, the only source of information we have is right here." Bryce taps the side of his head.

"I'd rather fight blind than have unreliable intel. We should retire the Intersect project before any more people have to die unnecessarily" He glances at Walker as he states this and although she does not react to his statement, he can see her hands curled into fists and knows that he has made his point. Casey knows it's not going to be his choice anyway and that Beckman's probably not going to shut down the project anymore than Graham is. He can see it in their demeanor. Pete's death was just an unfortunate blip in the way they viewed things, they were bureaucrats sitting in their offices, giving orders but never fully realizing the human consequences.

"While I agree that that particular intel was bad, I see no reason to scupper the entire project. The time and money invested coupled with the possibility of an upgrade does not justify shutting it down." Graham does not need to look at the screen to know that the General has also agreed with him. They had talked earlier and this meeting had been just a formality to appease Major Casey. Bryce was definitely damaged goods but he is still their best Intelligence link in the fight against Fulcrum and other enemies of the US. Both Walker and Bryce still had the highest success rate out of all current CIA officers even despite this most recent setback.

"Then I think I am done here." Casey does not slam the door on his way out although he's more than tempted to do so. He barely glances at Larkin but can see that the man is close to collapsing, probably still standing due to sheer will and the fact that he does not want to cause his partner anymore trouble.

"The both of you will take the requisite psych evals over the next few days and report back for your next assignment. General Beckman has fresh information on a new Intersect cube that we need to retrieve." Graham does not acknowledge the look that passes between Walker and Larkin. He's almost sure that they do not have a physical relationship going on but he can see that they're as close as partners can get.

Bryce does not say anything as he walks out of Graham's office, knowing that Sarah is following closely behind. At least he makes it to the stairwell door before collapsing against it. It's Sarah who rushes forward, her body pushing the door fully open as Bryce falls headfirst. She catches him before his head hits the ground. She slowly slings his arm around her shoulder and makes her way down the three flights of stairs all the while supporting his weight as best she can. She slowly guides him to the small infirmary on the second floor where she waits, holding his limp hand, until he recovers. This is not the first time this has happened and Sarah is already familiar with the symptoms as she takes out his handkerchief to stop the nosebleed that has already started. She's not sure how long he has and prays that perhaps this new Intersect cube will be what Bryce needs to get better.

**The End**

**So, I am really interested in your opinion and views of the premise and the story. Anyway, to help, the poll for this chapter is A) Please continue because it's interesting, B)No, not that interesting so think of another story, C) I would just like to review because (add own comment)...:-)**


	2. Are Falling into Place

**A/N - Wow, thanks for all the reviews and definitely answering the poll:). Thanks so much to kro for looking this chapter over. Hope you guys like it and I hope that I have answered some of the questions that were raised from Chapter one and also ensured there are more questions raised after Chapter two :D**

**The Inevitable Life of Chuck Bartowski**

**Chapter 2 Are Falling into Place**

_**Project Omaha Base, Topeka, Kansas, 3.47pm, 6th June 2001**_

_Sarah remembered her mother telling her of her birth, how the pain was so intense but as soon as she was placed, wailing and writhing, in her mother's arms, all of the pain was miraculously forgotten, its intensity downgraded to a fading memory not to be dwelled upon, completely superseded by an even stronger emotion. She has nothing like that to hold onto as she forces her eyes open, the bright florescent lights adding to her blurred vision, her nerve endings raw, the memory of the extreme pain still fresh in her mind. It does not matter though as she is imbued with the belief that she is serving her country and it will all be worth it._

"_Here, drink this" She hears his voice as if coming from a distance, the words echoing in her ears. She feels his strong arms cradling her and her eyes shut again, at least knowing that she is being watched over. The cool liquid does little to reduce the actual pain she is still experiencing, but it allows her to focus on quenching her thirst, knowing that she just needs to ride it out and wait for all her senses to finally equilibrate._

_Bryce is amazed at her tenacity and the fact that she is still conscious. His first testing had caused him to pass out and it's only now that he has managed to stay alert and get over the pain and disorientation that accompanies these Intersect testings. He slowly removes the electrodes from her head and torso, trying his best to avoid the second degree burns that have formed underneath the ones along her spine. She convulses involuntarily and all he can do is to hold on to her until it passes. "It's going to be ok, I'm here." He uses the salve over her burns, noting that the scars will never fade but at least reduce in prominence over time._

"_Thank you." She does not know if he can hear her or if she's actually said the words out loud as her vision and hearing are still disrupted by the test. It's only when he takes hold of her hand does she understand that he's there and will ensure that she is looked after. She does not know how he has managed to endure these tests and how he has continued to do so. She thinks that she will not be as strong._

**Outside Roark Industries, Cupertino, 11.53am, 26th March 2009**

Bryce puts on his shades as he exits the building into the bright sunlight. He really misses California, especially the clement weather and he definitely misses the less complicated life he had when he first entered college. Bryce sighs as he scans the parking lot for Sarah, hating the fact that the weather does not improve his melancholy mood. He sees Sarah standing next to the Porsche and walks towards her. "Our meeting is set for two this afternoon. Want to take a spin around the campus and relive my glory days?" He doesn't know why he offered, knowing that it will not help his mood any. But deep down, wondering if this may be his last chance at absolution.

Sarah knows that he graduated summa cum laude from Stanford but little else about his time there. He had never volunteered much more than that and Sarah always figured that he had been trying to hide something from his past so the offer surprises her. "Ok" she nods and takes the driver's seat. As soon as he buckles in, she drives off, gunning the engine and heading towards the Stanford campus.

He starts out by pointing the various buildings, no mention of anything personal until she drives by his fraternity house. "Our room was just there" he points to the window at the front as Sarah stops the car. "Chuck always hated it because the brothers use to play beer pong outside at all hours." He looks off into the distance, caught up in the memory and his features soften. For the first time, Sarah can see the young man that he was before becoming the spy that he currently is.

"Chuck?" She's heard the name once before when Bryce had been drunk. From what she could piece together, they had a falling out over the expulsion of a common friend. Even when drunk, Bryce had remained somewhat reticent and only mentioned Chuck once, in relation to always inadvertently hurting those you cared most about. She had not pushed further and he did not volunteer more than that.

"He was my best friend, real smart, Bill Gates type who wanted to make the world a better place, even then." Bryce rarely reminisced, not wanting to rehash the past especially the mistakes that he had made, most of which he could justify but still, they left a bitter taste in his mouth. He had always defended his course of action on the basis that it had saved Jill's life and it was just unfortunate that he had to use Chuck to get her expelled. He could not have done it under his own name, knowing that the CIA was already keeping tabs on him. Chuck had always been too trusting and when he had requested for his password, Chuck had not even asked why.

In Bryce's mind, the end did justify the means and he was just trying to look out for his girlfriend. She did not belong in the Omaha project anymore than Sarah did. Even now, Bryce does not regret his decision. The hindsight he has obtained from having the experience of the Intersect has shown him that by preventing both Jill and Sarah from his fate, he has saved their lives. He has never chosen the role of arbiter or enjoyed being a martyr but he can see that his choices have made a difference and to him, it has to be enough.

"What happened?" her voice goes soft as she turns to face him, offering him the chance for some sort of release from his memories. She can see him struggling internally and not for the first time, offers herself for his confession. He doesn't often take it up, not wanting to burden her with his sins but she hopes he does this time.

"He thought…probably still thinks that I betrayed him by using his Teaching Assistant password to prove that my girlfriend had cheated on a test. You see, Chuck's the kind of guy who would like a girl but allow his best friend to date her anyway." Bryce does not enjoy feeling like the villain of the story but understands that to Chuck and Jill; he'll always be the guy who tore them apart and ruined Jill's future. He looks around the campus hoping to see a tall man with curly hair but luck is still not with him. He has always managed to keep track of Chuck and knows he's currently teaching at their Alma Mater. He had tried to track Jill down but she had gone off the grid after her expulsion and he had to live with the regret that he would probably never make it up to her. He hopes though that he can still make it up to Chuck. He knows deep down that Sarah will like him and hopes he's still around if or when the meeting occurs.

"He sounds like a good guy." For all his flaws, Sarah knows that Bryce is still trying to do the right thing and make amends. "Maybe he'll understand why you needed to do that." The Omaha project was where she had first met Bryce. They had been the only two selected off a secret list and even then, he had been so sure of himself. Always vying for the top spot and she had given him a run for his money in the beginning, only to wash out of the program at the testing stages. Her retention scores, though high, could not compare to his. She can't help the small shudder as she recalled some of the physical tests she had been put under. The pain she had endured then, now a distant memory but the scars always a current reminder.

"I don't think so. He really loved Jill, never told her but I know he did and she blamed him probably more than she blamed me. I tried to tell her before she left but I don't think she cared anymore and by that time, Chuck moved out of the frat and into a dorm." The sequence of events is still so clear in his mind despite the years that have passed. He can remember Jill's anger through her tears and Chuck's look when he realized that Bryce had betrayed him. He does not look at the picture very often but he takes it out of his wallet now and hands it to Sarah. "It was a different time. That's Jill, the guy in the Spiderman mask is Chuck, the 750 was having a free beer with any mask night."

Sarah chuckles as she looks at the picture. Bryce is in the middle holding on tightly to a smiling brunette and a tall lanky guy whose face is obscured by his mask. "So you never got a chance to explain." She sees his expression full of regret as he shakes his head and reaches out to place her hand on his.

Bryce looks at his watch, not wanting to think of the past any longer, "We should get back, can't afford to be late when we meet the great Ted Roark. You know he's going to hit on you." He glances at Sarah and can see her smile in response. He knows how beautiful she is but does not regret not pursuing her romantically. Her support and friendship had been more than enough and he always wanted better for her because she deserved it. She had kissed him once, early on, after a particularly harrowing mission and he had nearly given in then, wanting the comfort, craving the release it would provide. It had taken all of his restraint to push her back and not look at the hurt in her eyes. He had fumbled to explain himself then, for the first time in years, feeling more like a schoolboy instead of the suave secret agent that he was. Finally explaining that he could not live with being her one nightstand and that he knew she deserved a proper relationship and not just a facsimile of one.

It was the first real conversation they had as partners and it strengthened the friendship they shared. It does sadden him though that he'll eventually lose her when she does find what she has been looking for all this while. He had not exactly been jealous of Pete but still thought that she deserved better. Someone who would love her unconditionally, and who could always be there for her. He glances at her profile and hopes that it will eventually happen for her with all his heart.

Sarah again drives towards Roark Industries, preparing herself mentally for the role she has to play, knowing that Bryce is correct in his assessment of Roark. She has never liked using her looks although she knows it part of what makes her a damn good spy. She wonders if anyone besides her partner will ever look beyond her façade. Bryce switches on the radio then, as she brings down the top of the convertible, both of them silently lost in their own musings.

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It's eight hours later and the meeting had gone according to plan which really meant that as expected, Ted Roark had been the smarmy bastard that Bryce had pegged, hitting on Sarah almost immediately and giving them the run around with respect to his research. It did, however, allow Sarah to plant a small radio device in the room and snag his all access pass card, thus allowing them to access to the building and the security system. It had only taken Bryce half an hour to jam the security system's signal which then would allow them ample time to break in and steal the Intersect prototype stored in the reinforced basement of the complex.

They waited until night fell before entering the building from the air vents on the roof, Sarah having memorized the plans, led Bryce expertly towards the private elevator tucked at the corner of the top floor of the east wing. The cameras throughout the complex are running off a loop that Bryce had spliced together, masking their break in completely. The numerous guards are relatively easy to avoid as they make their way via the large air ducts that cool the building naturally. A boon towards being environmentally friendly, but a flaw in terms of security that Roark has never addressed because it would be beyond his comprehension to ever be wrong about anything. Unfortunately, it's when they were in the elevator that things started to go wrong.

The first Flash hits him as they descend down, the logo on the panel triggering the images in his head. He grabs blindly at Sarah and she guides him into a sitting position, patiently waiting for it to end and for Bryce to share whatever information he has mined. "Fulcrum…Roark's part of Fulcrum." he pants as his vision begins to blur. Although they had always suspected Roark of working in collaboration with various shady organizations, they have never had proof of his direct links to Fulcrum. Sarah has to pull him up when the elevator doors open and it worries her that the relatively benign flash has taken so much of a toll on him. "Are you ok?"

Bryce knows that she's asking him if he can finish the job and it pains him to know that he's as unsure of the answer as she is. "We need to find the cube." It's a poor deflection to her question but she does not push, instead trusting that Bryce will come through as her partner as always.

"If Beckman's intel is correct, the prototype is kept in the clean room up ahead." Bryce tries to take the lead only to be hit by another Flash, this time more intense that the first that it drives him to his knees before Sarah can react, blood already streaming out of his nose. "523819, go…the cube..get the cube…" He spews the words out through clenched teeth, the pain already taking hold of his senses. Bryce does not want to give up and forces himself into a sitting position. He blindly roots around in his pack and grabs hold of the syringe filled with a mixture of morphine and noradrenalin; he uncaps it clumsily and plunges it into his thigh. Only then finding the respite he needs to finish the mission.

Sarah rushes to the door keying in the number Bryce had just recited and is relieved to see it slide open, revealing a small white room. She recognizes the blue cube suspended in the cylindrical glass case from the pictures Beckman had sent over and does not think twice as she reaches for it, knowing that it could save Bryce's life. She does not hear his soft protest and only after she holds it in her hand does she understand that she's tripped a silent alarm as the lights begin to flash and she can hear shouts in the distance.

Bryce staggers up and looks at her, trying to convey so many things in the short amount of time they have left but she's as stubborn as he is as she barrels forward, dragging him along the corridor and into the first room on the right. Again, going by the plans she's memorized, she knows that they still have a chance to escape if she's fast enough. She locks the door behind her, drags a chair underneath the vent in the ceiling and starts to unscrew it. Bryce is leaning against the wall, his face ashen, although at least he's still standing. "They're going…to be here any minute…you have to leave…"

"No" She knows what he's asking of her and she won't grant it. They're partners and she will not leave him, instead she helps him over to where the chair is and giving him a boost into the vent. She barely makes it in when the door slams open and the guards open fire causing holes to appear behind them, showing how close they were to getting caught. Sarah tamps down on any fear as she pushes behind Bryce, hoping that his tenacity is enough to keep him moving. She can hear his laboured breaths and sees the drops of blood on the floor as she moves through the small enclosed space. She drops one of the flashbang devices behind her to prevent any of the guards from following.

Bryce can barely see but he knows that Sarah won't leave without him, and he will not be responsible for her death, so he pushes himself despite the pain. He's guided by her hand on his back as they maneuver through the maze of vents, keeping just a tiny step ahead of the guards behind them. Their luck finally ran out as they emerged from the side vent into the small outside courtyard. Sarah exits first only to be pushed aside violently by Bryce as bullets rain down around her. She feels their impact on her back thankfully none piercing the vest she's wearing. She only just manages to roll away and behind the life-sized statue of Roark, marble chips raining down around her as bullets tear into it.

Sarah scrambles up, pulling her comm link out and requesting for immediate extraction, and only then realizes that Bryce has not shadowed her movements as expected. She peers around the corner and sees Bryce sprawled across the lawn. She does not even pause as she rolls towards him and drags his body behind the statue, this time not as lucky as a bullet lodges in her left leg. She does not even register the pain as she tries to find a pulse on her partner.

She can hear the helicopter in the distance and continues to frantically look over Bryce as her hands come away wet and slick.

"Sarah" his voice is weak and he's trying to speak and breathe at the same time. All she can do is to hold him as bullets continue to fly around them, this time coming from their extraction support. She can see the helicopter land ten feet away, finally providing cover fire although she does not move, instead signaling that she needs help with Bryce and is glad as she sees two agents alight and move towards them.

"We're going to make it, just hold on." She has to believe that even though she can feel his blood soaking the ground around her, his hands losing their warmth. She sees that he's trying to say something and she bends down, ear as close to his mouth as possible. She can barely hear above the noise from the chopper and the fire fight still going on.

"Fleming…my old..professor ..at Stanford..recruited me…Jill…he has..the Omaha..list..working on ..secret ..upgrade" He does not want to lose consciousness although he knows that that's not what he is most afraid of. Bryce knows that he is dying, that his luck has finally run out. His only saving grace is the fact that at least he managed to save Sarah's life in the process. He can hear her calling his name and thinks that she's still holding him although he's felt numb for some time. He presses the bloodied picture into her hand and hopes she gets his last message. His last conscious thought at he gazes up at Sarah is the fact that it's the first time he's ever seen her cry.

_**Pi Beta Phi Sorority House, 9.02pm, Stanford 5th January 2003**_

_Chuck tries not to stare at the fighting couple but its difficult not to considering that they are both his friends and that he knows the reason they are fighting is because of him. He wants to go over and put a stop to it, to explain to Jill that he really had nothing to do with her expulsion but he knows that is not exactly true. Although he did not actively seek to have her expelled (that was all Bryce), it was his ID that was used to prove that she had copied his passwords in order to download Professor Fleming's tests before the finals. _

_He could not deny that his account had been accessed and it was Bryce who had highlighted that his password had been used during the times they had been together and therefore someone had been stealing the test questions. He just did not expect it to be Jill or expect Bryce to still go ahead with the complaint when he found out. He can hears bits of their argument now, above the music._

"_I had to do the right thing, maybe if you admit it, they'll give you a second chance" He can see Bryce holding onto Jill's hand, his pleading tone still not getting through as Jill's face contorts with anger._

"_Admit it! I didn't cheat, you of all people..." He cannot hear the rest of her words but sees her look over to him, her expression changing from anger to disappointment and back to anger again, tears now streaming down her face. "I never want to see you again and tell Chuck..." again her words are lost to him but he can tell that she blames him for this as much as he blames himself._

_He tries to catch her before she leaves but the room is too crowded and she's already gone out the back by the time he reaches Bryce._

"_She blames me." The resignation in his voice is unmistakable, "Why did you do it? You didn't have to." He's cognizant that he should not be angry at Bryce but he also cannot control the resentment building up in him. He never got to tell Jill of his feelings, always thinking that Bryce loved her more and would look out for her only he didn't in the end. He had always held back because he thought it was for the best but like the lesson he had learnt from his parents' abandonment, he really could not trust or love anyone. "You didn't have to go to the Dean, we could have fixed it. We could have done something. You didn't….She shouldn't have left." He knows he's putting the full blame on Bryce but cannot help himself. He sees Bryce shake his head but all he can picture is Jill's tearful face and he does not even register the pain as he punches Bryce in the face before turning and walking away._

**Bloch Lecture Hall,** **8.47am**, **Stanford 27rd March 2009**

Chuck had always been amazed that he managed a double major Doctorate in Psychology and Computer Engineering and understands that without George Fleming's encouragement, he would never have considered doing both and focusing his coding skills on programs exploring memory retention. George had always made exceptions for him, like exempting him from the standardized tests he gave in his class and allowing him to earn credits with his side programming projects. All in all, Chuck feels beholden to him and therefore has always acquiesced when asked a favor like taking over his classes.

Chuck is in the middle of his lecture when the door slams open and George Fleming staggers down the steps, as if drunk. At first, all Chuck notices is the way George is clutching at his chest as if he's in pain, his mouth forming words that Chuck can barely hear amid the screams that are emanating from some of the students in the back of the hall. He only sees the arrow sticking out of Fleming's back when he keels over and tumbles down the rest of the stairs and lands unceremoniously at Chuck's feet. Alice stands up a few feet away, numbed with horror as she averts her eyes. Chuck cannot help but bend over to check if there's anything he can do despite acknowledging that the situation is beyond his capabilities. He's surprised as Fleming clutches at his arm pulling him downwards such that he's mere inches away from his face. "You..you have the key….the hard…disk, don't…don't let them take it…please…hide..Fulcrum…deal with…the devil."

With that, he puts something into Chuck's hands as his eyes close and his grip on Chuck loosens as he exhales for the last time. The small hard disk is still warm and covered with blood which makes him almost drop it, but still he manages to slip it into his pocket, not knowing if it's the right thing to do but realizing that he has made a choice nonetheless. However, it's the final words that gives Chuck a chill as he looks questioningly at Alice who still looks stunned. He finally checks George's pulse with one hand as the other fumbles for his phone.

He knows that it's probably useless calling an ambulance but he does so anyway because he needs to try and help. As he gives directions to the operator, all he can think of are Fleming's final words and wonder if the disk in his pocket is the reason for his death. It's not every day that a Stanford professor gets shot in the back with a steel arrow. In fact, Chuck's pretty sure it's never happened before and that he should not even contemplate finding out what Fleming meant with his last words or see what's on the disk. He finally pushes those thoughts to the back of his mind and looks around.

Chuck notices that lecture hall is empty and Alice is the only other person in the room left. He stands up and runs his hand through his hair, at a loss for words. It's only when he sees Alice start to cry does he go over and hug her staying in that position until campus security arrives five minutes later followed closely by officers from the local police station.

The next few hours are a blur of questions and grim interviews from the Dean, campus security, local police as well as a CBI Detective. Chuck tries as best as he can to protect his students as much as possible from the grim reality of the death of their teacher. In that respect, he takes it upon himself to answer all the questions and had protested vehemently when Detective Mauser wanted to question all the students present for his lecture. The CBI Detective seemed so hostile and went so far as to threaten Chuck with jail time when he refused to hand over the student list.

That was the tipping point where Chuck realized that without more understanding, he could not just hand over the disk to Detective Mauser or anyone else for that matter. His mentor had dies while entrusting it to him and he cannot ignore the responsibility George had thrust upon him. He had wanted him to have it and had implied somehow that he was involved. If that was indeed the case, Chuck could see Mauser really following through on the threat and putting him in jail. It was a conscious decision on his part then to not only keep the information that Fleming had told him to himself but also not say anything about the hard disk weighing heavily in his pocket.

Chuck's not sure where his instincts are leading him to and he's never thought of himself as a risk taker but he's always been a big believer that things happened for a reason. Not that everything was pre—destined, but more that all independent decisions made would still tend to lead one to a similar conclusion always. Fleming had wanted him to get the drive, had spoken to him with his dying breath and Chuck cannot ignore that. Chuck knows that he just needs to see what's on the disk in order to then make a more informed decision as to who to go involve, be it the local police or even the FBI. What he does know is that he just does not want to give it to Detective Mauser.

It's eight thirty at night when he's finally allowed to leave campus. His shoulders slump as he begins to acknowledge that yet another person in his life has been taken away, perhaps not by their own design but the sense of abandonment feels the same. As he walks towards the car park, he notices that Alice is waiting for him by his car.

"Thanks for umm…thanks" She can see that he's exhausted and does not want to add to his fatigue but she does not know what else to do. Professor Fleming had barred her from ever mentioning the incident but now with his death, she feels that Professor Bartowski has a right to know, especially since he had been so nice to her despite what she had done to him without his knowledge. "I umm, I need to tell you something." She's trembling even though it's not a cold night and she starts to cry when he unbuttons his coat and gently places it around her shoulders, an encouraging smile on his face.

"Hey, it's ok. I mean it's been a really traumatic time for you but please don't cry." Chuck has never done well with women and even worse with crying females. It's not the fact that he does not possess any social skills but more the fact that he hasn't had that much practice since Jill and ever since his falling out with Ellie. He sighs as he tries to steer his mind away from that, knowing that he can try and rectify it although he's not sure where to start. All in all, Chuck had a distinct feeling that if he couldn't even maintain a relationship with his own sister, it would be even more difficult to cultivate one with someone new. Besides the lack of practice was also due to the time he needed to spend on his work. Every time he's had a breakthrough with his code, a new problem would arise to stall his work. Without George's encouragement, which was no longer forthcoming, he's not sure if he could go on.

"No, you don't understand." Alice shakes her head and takes a step back. "I knew he was stealing from you and I didn't say anything. Professor Fleming took your codes and changed some of them but he told me you'd understand." She's crying harder now, her last words tumble out in a hurry as if she's frightened that if she doesn't say it fast enough, she'll chicken out.

Chuck literally feels like he's been hit by a baseball bat and actually staggers back. He's trying to decipher the full meaning of Alice's confession but is somewhat stuck on the fact that his mentor may have stolen from him. "What…what are you saying? Did George take my program?" the incredulity evidenced in his voice. He's always been too trusting, although he's tempered that instinct over time. Ellie had pointed it out again and again asking him how many times he needed to be deceived in order to learn his lesson. First with his Dad, and then Bryce. He does not want to even consider that Fleming has now joined that list. However, he also cannot deny Alice's words and perhaps it's time he finally accepted the fact that he needs to be less trusting.

Alice nods, not wanting to look at him and instead focuses on the ground before his feet. "He's been accessing your files online. I swear I only found out a few weeks ago and I did not say anything because he promised to tell you. He said you'd understand; that you could see the bigger picture." She's still crying but Chuck cannot bring himself to comfort her further. He fumbles for his car keys and wants to just go home and get his mind around all that has happened but he cannot just leave Alice here either.

He numbly gets into his car, "Get in, I'll give you a ride home." His hands hold on so tightly to the steering wheel that his blunt nails are digging into his palms, leaving small indentations. No more words are exchanged except for the directions she gives him. He stops at her apartment building and looks away as she exits the car, not even acknowledging the soft apology she gives him as she closes the car door.

It's only when he reaches his own house, does he show his emotional state as tears fill his eyes and he collapses into his armchair. It's only then that he remembers the hard disk that he's still carrying in his pocket. He takes it out and stares at it, the blood long dried on its casing. He cannot shake the feeling of dread building up in the pit of his stomach as he struggles to understand the events of the day. Chuck knows that there is a choice before him and is hesitant of his decision knowing that once it's made, he cannot turn back. He's never thought of himself as a particularly brave person but he also cannot ignore Fleming's words or the fact that he's already involved according to Alice's recent confession.

He walks into his study, each step leading him forward towards the unknown but he thinks it's the only avenue open to him currently. He begins to hook up the hard disk to his computer and boots up the system. Chuck knows there is still time to turn back, that he cannot hide from whatever he finds and perhaps it's better not to know at all. However, he cannot deny that things tend to happen for a reason and although for the life of him, he cannot divine it currently, he knows it will become clear eventually if he's brave enough to find out more.

He accesses the directory and scans the drive, noting that it's one large program file. He enters keystroke after keystroke and delves further into the information scrolling on the screen. To the untrained eye, it looks like gibberish, letters, symbols and numbers haphazardly strung together. But to Chuck, it's his language of choice, the one he understands above all others. He marvels at the intricate code, but also recognizing his signature in some of the strings of data. It takes him four hours to view the entire program code and only then does he see the small flaw. It's hidden in the last few lines and it takes him all of a minute to correct it and the second he does, the program mounts on his drive and a dark red tint fills his room as millions of images start scrolling on his screen.

His focus does not sway as the program runs, a multitude of three-dimensional images registering in his brain at an increasingly fast rate beyond conscious comprehension. Time passes and although he's frozen physically; his consciousness is actively absorbing the program via the bytes of images being projected. The program ends as abruptly as it had started although this is the only thing that Chuck does not register as he finally keels over, falling out of his chair and onto his study floor.

**The End**

**Ok, no poll this time but since this is a work in progress and non-canon, I'm going to present four discussions points for reviews. Of course any type of reviews are always welcomed and read with great anticipation:D**

**Which Intersect has Chuck been intersected with? Discuss.**

**Bryce – Dead?, Not dead?, Undead? Discuss**

**jomarch05 is an avowed Charah shipper so its only a matter of time and chapters for Charah to appear. Discuss.**

**How many reviews will it take to get jomarch05 to write faster and post Chapter three. Discuss (I'm serious here folks :D)**


	3. It's Always Darkest

**A/N – OMG, you guys are great, thanks so much for all your comments and reviews and opinions as to whare this story is going! So we're on to Chapter 3, I wanted to at least start writing Chapter 4 before I posted this but real life is getting in the way. I also have to admit that I got sidetracked with writing the start for the sequel to TEIOTB as well :D. Anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter.**

**ETA- in my haste, I forgot to thank kro for being a great beta who puts up with my comma deficiency syndrome :D. thanks kro**

**The Inevitable Life of Chuck Bartowski**

**Chapter 3 It's Always Darkest**

_**Bethesda Naval Hospital, 2.02pm, Maryland 10**__**th**__**November 2008**_

_The muted sound__s of the hospital always reminded him of death, although he's probably more attuned to it because of his own prognosis. He can see Dr Zarnow conversing in low tones with Busgang and cannot bring himself to care any longer. Bryce buttons his shirt and hops off the table; noting that Sarah will be there in a few minutes and he needs to compose himself if he wants to avoid worrying her. It's only then that he joins in the discussion, hoping that his presence will cause the two doctors to disperse and therefore not run into his partner, when she arrives. He really does not want to burden her further with more bad news._

"_So I'm all done." He forces a smile on his face even though he's as far from happy as he can get. At least the surprised and uncomfortable looks on both doctor's faces give him some consolation that he can still unsettle them. That he still has some measure of control over what's left of his life._

"_Yes, Agent Larkin. We should get the results back in a week's time and maybe we can see some improvement or at least no further deterioration. I am sorry I don't have better news but we are doing all we can, and there is a possible new experimental treatment we have been working on." Bryce can tell that Zarnow is lying as he has the most obvious tell. He blinks a lot more than necessary, unlike Busgang who just tends to turn his wedding ring around a few times. Graham had probably briefed them and requested that they manage his care and ensures that he's still committed to the Intersect project. He knows for a fact that he only possible experimental treatment lies with Fleming and his use of possible Fulcrum technology. And at this juncture, Bryce is more than willing to deal with the devil. _

"_Yeah, the increased frequency of the headaches and the nosebleeds all point to me getting better." The derisive tone is palpable as he turns in time to see Sarah enter the doors at the far end of the hall. "Just ensure that my prescription will get filled and tell Graham he does not have to worry, I know I'm still the Intersect at least for as long as I'm conscious." He turns his back on them and strides towards his partner._

_He smiles when he sees she does and takes a deep breath to prepare himself for all the lies he's about to tell her. He knows he cannot keep lying to her but again convinces himself that he still has time and that Fleming will come through for him._

**CIA Safehouse, 6.08am, Calabasas 27****th**** March 2009**

It's the persistent beeping sound that wakes her, and she's immediately assaulted by the antiseptic smell permeating the room. Sarah blinks as she slowly sits up, her arm snags around the drip feeding liquid into the back of her hand. Her leg is throbbing and she can see the bandages around her thigh covering the bullet wound she had received. She's alone in the room and its meaning staggers her such that she has to grip the railing at the side of the bed. She knows that it actually means that Bryce is truly dead. They had been partners for over seven years, had gone through numerous injuries and hurts together and he had always been there in the same room whenever she woke up either recovering together or hovering next to her bed, the worry lines on his face only smoothing after she would regain consciousness. Likewise, she had always insisted the same when he was injured such that it had been recorded in their dossier jackets.

The door opened to reveal a middle-aged man carrying a Satellite phone in one hand and a newspaper in the other. "Agent Walker, it's good to see you awake. We were a bit worried that you may have had a bad reaction to the sedative we had to give you. You've been out for over six hours." He's smiling although the smile does not quite reach his eyes and Sarah can tell he's trying to prepare her for the bad news that he has to deliver. She's played his part before and knows of the steps one has to take but does not care as she asks her question.

"Where's his body?" She can see that he's taken aback but recovers quickly enough as he hands her the Sat phone indicating that it's a secure line and that Graham's probably the one that will answer her questions.

She takes the phone, holding it so tightly that she can see the veins and tendons in her hand. "Walker, secure." her voice is even and firm although she can tell that Graham can discern the light tension in it. Sarah does not want to hear platitudes but instead hopes that Graham respects her enough to allow her to finish the assignment. She knows what she needs to do for her country and then when it's done, she'll have to find the time to do what Bryce had wanted her to do when he pressed the picture into her hand.

"Agent Walker, Agent Larkin's body is currently en-route to Derby, Connecticut. His family has been informed of his demise; a story of his unfortunate death has been put into the newspaper. His funeral will take place in a few days."

The man hands the newspaper to Sarah before exiting but she barely glances at the article. "What happens to the Intersect project, to the new cube we found? Are we starting trials again?" She does not mean to rush out all her questions at once but she feels the impetus building up in her to not let Bryce's death be in vain. She wants their last mission to mean something. She does not want her memory of him to be tainted by a failed operation.

"The cube has been delivered to Dr. Busgang. Good job by the way." Graham let's the sentence hang there, knowing not to bring up Larkin's name. "You are schedule to fly back in four days, I suggest you take the time to rest or perhaps fly to Connecticut." He's making the offer hoping that she'll accept.

"I'm still in California then? There's someone in Stanford, Fleming. Bry..Agent Larkin said that he had information about the project. Information we could use, I could meet him" She's torn between wanting to say goodbye and wanting to ensure Bryce's legacy lived on. She does not like withholding information from her superiors especially Graham whom recruited her. Bryce had told her about a possible secret upgrade that Fleming had been working on which was definitely not sanctioned by the CIA. She had access to all the Intersect project reports and to her knowledge; only Dr Howard Busgang has been tasked with working on a potential new Intersect upgrade. She understands now that she needs to get the Omaha list for the CIA and perhaps at the same time destroy any potential Intersect devices that Fleming had been working on.

Graham knows of George Fleming despite him not being fully affiliated to the CIA. He was more of an independent contractor, working at various times for the NSA and Military and early on for the Omaha project at the CIA's behest. He was the one who was responsible for reviewing all the tests results of all the Omaha candidates nationwide. There were even rumors that his contracts had dried up due to his unauthorized forays in potentially dealing with shadier organizations. That he had not been allowed to follow through with the Omaha project because he had withheld some information. As usual, a deal had been struck because nothing could be proven and Fleming was eventually shut out. "No, there is no need and that was a long time ago. Besides, General Beckman has assigned Major Casey to the ongoing project. It's in their hands now." Graham cannot help the sigh that escapes. He had fought tooth and nail to keep the project within the aegis of the CIA but it had been a fight that Graham had lost when Beckman had pointed out that his only two agents familiar with the project were either dead or injured.

"He's a blunt instrument, he's not …he's not going to be able to..." She can't really finish the sentence because the only person with an in depth understanding of the Intersect project has died. "So the NSA is going to create their own Intersect? Start from scratch?" She does not like getting involved in internal politicking, has always been more at ease in the field than in the boardroom but she understands the position Graham has been in due to their recent failure. The CIA's hold on the Intersect project was driven by Bryce's involvement from the start, allowing them full funding and unprecedented leeway in their assignments. With Bryce gone, the funding and project was again up for grabs and the NSA's possession of the new cube put them in the lead to take over.

"Perhaps or they'll scrap it. We have to wait and see." Graham knows she's given up years of her life for the project and letting go will not be easy. "You've done good work, never forget that. We can discuss your next assignment when you get here."

Sarah nods even though she knows he can't see her. She does not doubt her contribution to the CIA or to her country but she cannot ignore Bryce's dying words. She has never disobeyed an order and does not want to start now, but she feels that the project can still be salvaged, that she can make it up to Graham and the agency. "I'll take the next few days to go off the grid, get some rest." She's always been good with the non-answer and knows not to commit as yet. She still has four days to find Fleming and get the Omaha list. She's almost sure that the NSA has no candidates although they now have the cube. She counting on that fact and therefore with the list, Graham would be able to get her back on the project and salvage a position for the CIA.

"Ok" She's one of the best operatives he has and Graham does not want to lose her. He can tell that she wants the time to do something although he cannot divine what exactly. He does trust her though and granting her the four days is the least that he could do. He knows that she'll turn to him if she needs an assist. He just hopes that she'll not get in over her head.

Sarah hangs up and slowly removes the IV from her arm. She stands up and tests the strength of her leg, a sense of relief washing over her when she does not feel any additional blinding pain except for the low level throbbing that signifies no bone or muscle damage. She slowly limps to the toilet where she knows there will be a change of clothes. She wonders what kinds of cars have been allocated to this safe house. Another Porsche would probably be a stretch but it's California, so she's at least banking on a convertible to drive down the coast and back towards Stanford.

_**Ballarat, California**__**, 3.47pm, 13**__**th**__** October 2007**_

_All Chuck remembers of the day his dad left was the fact that he had finally finished his first source code program on text to picture translations. He didn't realize it then but it was one of the main reasons he would get into Stanford early. It was the program that had caught Fleming's eye. However, those were the two main memories he carried with him and even now, he can recall the elation he felt as he walked though their front door, change into quiet desperation over the course of twelve hours as he began to accept that his dad had walked out on him and Ellie, never intending to return._

_He does not remember crying, although he probably had, or even Ellie's reaction to his dad's departure. Perhaps it was for the best anyway because he does not think he can walk towards the trailer parked at the corner of the field, if he actually could recall the hurt his dad had caused. Even now, he feels rooted to the spot because he can still picture Ellie's face at the party she threw for him and hear her words echo in his head._

_Yet, he cannot deny that despite Ellie's previous support, his job at the University and his progress with his research, he's never felt complete. He thinks he needs to do this; he needs to know why his dad left and hopefully finally confirm that it had nothing to do with him. He's been in a holding pattern for years, always expecting something to change, someone to make it different and perhaps this is what he needs._

_It's only then that he builds up the courage to walk towards the trailer. Though it still takes him more than five minutes of standing at the door before he finally rings the bell. He's not sure what he's most afraid of when the door finally opens; finally finding his father or settling for the familiar disappointment. He takes a deep breath as he sees the door open, the hinges creaking loudly. He knows that there is no going back._

**Barron Park, University South, 10.30am, Palo Alto 28****th**** March 2009**

The constant ringing sound is what he registers first, although his eyes are still closed and the sound he hears is like it's coming from a great distance. Chuck slowly begins to regain feeling in his limbs and apart from the sound, he beings to feel the cramping in his muscles. His eyes blink open only to be assaulted by the bright morning sun streaming through the curtains in his study. It's only then does Chuck realize that he's on the floor in his study, his legs feel as if he's spent a full hour running full speed on the treadmill and a pounding headache has taken residence in the back of his head. The ringing in the background becomes clearer as his hearing starts to return and he knows that it's his phone.

Chuck grabs hold of the side table and slowly lifts himself up only to unceremoniously fall back onto his butt when he registers the full force of his headache. It's so painful that he bends over and retches the poor contents of his stomach all over the rug Ellie gave him for his housewarming present. He slowly wipes his mouth with the back of his hand and tries to rise again, this time finally making it, although he has to hold tightly to the table to steady his feet.

The phone finally stops ringing and Chuck stares at his computer and the small disk drive attached to it. The fire wire still connecting it to his Mac but when he tries to activate the directory, nothing appears onscreen. He's almost sure that the large program he was working on had been on the drive and he had not moved it anywhere but right now, all he can see is the empty directory. Something had happened last night though for the life of him, he can't recall anything apart from coming home after sending Alice back, working on Fleming's program and then waking up this morning, the entire night registering as a big blank in his mind.

The phone starts to ring again and Chuck finally answers it. "Hello?"

"Dr Bartowski, It's Detective Frank Mauser."

The sensation that hits him is one he's never experienced before, triggered by the voice on the phone. The pounding in his head beats out a faster rhythm while he begins to see bytes of data interspersed with different red tinted pictures in his minds eye, all pertaining to one Frank Mauser.

"Gecko,

Mauser's police entry exam,

Transfer letter to section 5 CIA division,

Top secret red tab psych file,

Digital radio,

Killsheet with ten confirmed kills,

Music sheets,

Semi automatic gun,

Gecko"

The sensation stops as abruptly as it began.

"Dr Bartowski, are you there. Sir, is anything the matter?" The impatience in Mauser's voice is obvious and Chuck has to again steady himself as he begins to try and digest what has just occurred.

"Um, yes, sorry, I ,um," He knows he's beginning to sound like Alice and can imagine the detective rolling his eyes. He can also imagine him driving over and shooting him between the eyes; because he's an ace shot as per his secret CIA records. "I'm sorry, umm I took a mild sedative and I guess I'm not used to its side effects. What can I do for you, Detective?" Chuck does not understand what has just happened although he's cognizant that whatever it was, has given him knowledge about the man he's currently speaking to over the phone. Information that he's very sure he's never encountered before, top secret type of information that could probably get one killed. It's then that he sees the linkage to Fleming and his death. The disk that George had given him, the use of his code, it all pointed towards the fact that George may have finally created his version two of his mythical Intersecato program.

"I need to meet with you again, to discuss if Professor Fleming said anything to you. His TA, Alice mentioned that he may have said a few words to you before he died. Anything at all would be helpful in this investigation"

Chuck does not want to meet with a known CIA black Ops member but he does not have a choice. "I'll be on campus in an hour or so. Perhaps we can meet at the Bytes café; it's at the Packard building." It's the only outdoor place he can think off that's not too packed with students until lunchtime.

"I'll see you there in an hour." The detective hangs up before Chuck can say anything and he spends a good minute just staring at the phone trying to wrap his head around the fact that he has a breakfast meeting with a trained CIA assassin. He slowly trudges up the stairs and into his room, still feeling the after effects of the information download he received. Despite being relatively freaked out, Chuck's still amazed that his program code really works. He vaguely knew about George's so called Intersecato project and what it entailed, and had always laughed when Fleming would joke that he needed Chuck to finish his program just in time for version two.

If he recalled correctly, George had problems with the data architecture of his own code as it did not allow for three-dimensional images inclusion but only two-dimensional images, thus reducing significantly the amount of data that could be transmitted and collated. It was what made Chuck's own program interesting, as it allowed for more data inclusion but also ensured that there was correlation of the bytes of information it would use. The outcome of which resulted in the formation of three-dimensional images of all correlated information into a map that the human brain could recognize in an instant. It would still require some form of intellectual analysis and the theory was that only very few people could detect the correlation of data although more people would be able to retain and recollect all the images.

Right now though, it would seem that Fleming had used parts of his program to assimilate secret data that now seemed to reside in his brain, and he was one of the very few people who could discern the data correlation. What was scaring him though was that his technology had been used not to improve memory retention for people who had suffered brain trauma as put forward by George, but for a potentially more nefarious purpose of coding government type secrets.

**Stanford University**** Campus, 11.15am, 28****th**** March 2009**

Sarah has had to control her preference for speeding ever since she reached the outskirts of the sprawling campus, which was a shame considering the corvette she's driving. She's already had appreciative glances from a majority of the student population although it would be hard to tell if they were admiring the car or the driver or both. She had been able to check the University's online records and knows that although Fleming's office was located at Jordan Hall, he normally spent his time at a lab located on the third floor of the Packard Electrical Engineering Building. Apparently, in recent years, Fleming and a team of Engineers were responsible for pioneering work in the field of computer aided memory retention tools.

She's surprised to see more Campus security guards than when she had driven through two days ago with Bryce and wonders what has changed. Because of it, she's beginning to feel a bit more conspicuous than she'd like and therefore decides to park and walk the rest of the way. Her leg is still hurting although she uses the pain as a distraction more than anything else. Concentrating on it rather than letting her mind think about the past twenty-four hours and about her dead partner.

She looks at the students milling about and wonders if she has ever looked that innocent and carefree. Perhaps there was an instance when she had been much younger but by the time she had reached Harvard, she had already been recruited by Graham and was in the process of being accepted into the Omaha project. She does not like to dwell on the past anymore than she'd like to relive it, and she again focuses on her current state and her next steps. She just needs to find Fleming and convince him to give her the Omaha list. It sounds relatively easy but he does not know her or the fact that Bryce had been her partner. There was no way a Stanford Professor would just hand over the list. And even if she used her CIA credentials, it would not do her any good as she had requested the four days to go off grid. Even if Fleming had enough clearance to check, her status would appear as redacted for the time being as she was not on active assignment.

The only chance she has is to make contact and then decide which avenue to take in order to recover the information. She really does not have much to go on except for Bryce's last words and the fact that Graham had acknowledged Fleming's initial involvement. All she really needs right now is a little luck to finally fall on her side as she crosses the road to get to the Packard Building.

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Chuck does not like driving to campus; most of the time he just takes his bike and it's no different today. The ride over and the fresh air has allowed him to clear his head, or at least helped to reduce the throbbing to a dull ache that's more manageable. He's so caught up in his own thoughts that he does not see the woman step off the sidewalk until it's too late. He swerves to the left instinctively not even noticing that the woman's reflexes were fast enough such as to leap forward. Chuck's bike hits the curb and he ends up tumbling unceremoniously onto the pavement adding to the already growing number of aches on his body.

Sarah's caught totally by surprise as she barely registers the bike barreling towards her, but manages to jump out of the way. The rider though is not as lucky, as he over-compensates and hits the curb. She does not need this attention but cannot leave before finding out if he's injured considering that he at least turned the bike in order not to hit her. Her leg is still stiff and painful and once again she uses the pain to focus.

"Are you ok?" She had pegged him as a student at first due to the bike and the fact that he's dressed rather casually in jeans and a t shirt. It's only when she looks at his face does she realize that he's around her age and that he has kind brown eyes that suddenly slam shut as his head tilts backwards and hits the pavement again, his body tensing up. She's unsure if it's a product of the accident or an underlying medical condition, and all she can do is to hold on to him and ensure that he does not hurt himself further as his body shudders.

It's her voice that triggered his reaction or at least Chuck's almost sure that it's the reason for his current state. The second he had registered her words, he could already feel the now familiar sensation of another download of information. It's the pain that hits him first although it seems to be more manageable. He still fights it though as he clamps his eyes shut, hoping that the lack of visual stimuli stops the internal images from registering in his visual cortex. It's no use though as the images flow through,

"Blackberry,

Semi automatic pistol,

Her picture and classified records parts of it blacked out,

A psych profile,

Mission reports,

A kill order for one Sarah Walker,

Giraffe,

Blackberry"

The first thing he realizes is that she's holding him, one hand supporting his head, while the other is wrapped around his left bicep. Her voice carries a note of concern as she repeats her question. It's only then that Chuck opens his eyes and notes that he's looking straight at one of the most beautiful faces he's ever seen. The issue he's having though is that her beauty is probably in direct proportion to how dangerous a person she actually is. If the information he has registered is to be believed, he's looking at Sarah Walker, paid assassin, currently wanted dead by a branch of the CIA called Fulcrum. It was the same name that George had uttered before he died. "I'm ok, no broken bones or anything, just more bumps to add to my growing collection. No harm, no foul. At least I'm not dead." he can tell that he's babbling and stops himself before he says anything further, ducking his head and reluctantly sitting up thus losing contact with her hands.

Sarah smiles for the first time in days, the babbling completely throwing her off her own train of thought. It's only when he sits up and she's not sure what to do with her hands does she extend them to help him up. "Here, let me." She's surprised that he scrambles a bit back and does not accept her help as he rises, dusting himself off and trying not to look at her directly. She's not sure whether she should smile again to put him at ease or if he's not at ease because of her smile.

"I'm fine thanks." Chuck's again caught up with how beautiful Sarah Walker is while at the same time trying to not freak out at the fact that in a span of two hours, he's managed to talk on the phone to and literally run into two different but both very dangerous assassins. One who was working for the CIA and the other wanted dead by the same organization. It's all so surreal that Chuck's starting to question his sanity only to again be brought back to the fact that he's probably in danger as he hears the next question she asks.

"Ok, good. Would you by any chance know the fastest way to the Packard building?" She figures that he's either embarrassed for nearly hitting her with his bike or not used to talking to women. Considering he's actually rather cute, she's almost sure it's the former reason as opposed to the latter and therefore her question should put him at ease. She's trying not to smile although his next reaction surprises her as she can see fear and shock register on his face before he again turns away.

"If you cut across the next street over…" He trails off, unsure of what to say as he's heading in the same direction and if she's as dangerous as he thinks she is, she'll notice it anyway. He can see that she's trying not to smile and that he's confusing her, her blue eyes quite expressive. "I'm going there myself so you could just follow me." He's not certain of much anymore but he's pretty sure that if she was there to kill him, he'd be dead hence it would be better to just pretend that he does not know who she is and hopes that it's all just a big coincidence. Besides, if it wasn't, then bringing her closer to where Detective Mauser was going to be could actually save his life as he was CIA and she was the wanted felon.

"Hi, I'm Sarah, Sarah Walker" she's still really not sure what exactly is going on and the encounter in itself while innocuous seems to be rife with underlying meaning. However, she's a trained spy who is use to dealing with unknowns and therefore his reaction does not faze her. It's only when he tells her his name, does she react for the first time.

Chuck does not want to give away the fact that he knows her name as well as her background. So he covers up his anxiety by fussing with his bike and as he picks it up, he responds to her introduction without looking at her, thus missing the look of shock and sadness that graces her face. "Charles, actually Chuck Bartowski and sorry by the way" finally looking up only to see her turn abruptly away.

The tears come unbidden and she's surprised by their appearance but still manages to turn around before he sees them and quickly blink them away. "It's fine, no harm done." She closes her eyes and waits for him to walk in step with her, for once glad of the training she has received that allows her to compartmentalize her feelings. She wonders if Bryce is looking down from wherever he is and smiling at the irony of her situation. She can either make amends for Bryce's personal mistakes by talking to Chuck now or make amends for his professional one by finding Fleming. She wants to do both but for now, Fleming takes priority.

Chuck has always been of the opinion that he was a pretty good judge of character although both Bryce's and George's betrayal of him did not support that in any way. Right now though he's just feeling so confused by the fact that although all his knowledge of the woman next to him points to the fact that he should not feel guilty about leading her to her death, he's already beginning to have second thoughts and he slows down only to prompt her to again ask him if he's ok.

"Are you sure you're fine?" Sarah cannot understand why she feels compelled to make amends to Chuck and again puts the feeling aside. She can see that he's still uncomfortable with her presence and decides to give him a break. "Listen, I think I know the way there now and my appointment isn't until later so I'll just go." He finally looks straight at her and she's taken aback by the rush of emotions she sees in his eyes and the very unsettled feeling that suddenly rises up in her.

Chuck does not know if it's relief or fear that finally wins out as he looks at Sarah. He cannot reconcile the need to not want to cause her death with the need to do the right thing but realizes that her words have granted him a reprieve and he nods as she turns to walk away, not waiting for his response. He has to remind himself that she's a killer and that if she knew of his knowledge, her actions would have probably been different. He tries not to stare at her retreating back, instead reminding himself that she's dangerous and he's lucky to be alive. Adding to that, he's still uncertain as to why Fleming had given him the disk, but he understands that the information that was on it, that was now stored in his brain, is something that people would kill for or have killed for, considering that Fleming had been murdered. It's then that he's suddenly cognizant that he's definitely in over his head, and that he probably needs to tell Detective Mauser of this encounter. He may be dangerous but at least he's one of the good guys.

**The End**

**You guys are great with the responses so we're back to a poll cum discussion points. Pick one, pick four, all up to you. I do try andreply to all of the reviews and have given some indications (no major spoilers though) on where I would like the story to head (Does that give you incentive to review?)**

**1)Detective Mauser – Dead Man Walking? or Main Villian?**

**2)Sarah Walker – Too OOC? or Yes, I can totally see her behaving that way.**

**3)Chuck Bartowski – Love at First sight kind of guy? or After everthing that has happened, he's going to not trust anyone no matter how drop dead gorgeous she is :)**


	4. Before The Dawn

**A/N - So to make up for making you wait, this is a long chapter. It's been a crazy few weeks and will continue to be so the writing tends to be the last thing I have time for although I do enjoy it and hope you enjoy the story too.**

**The Inevitable Life of Chuck Bartowski**

**Chapter 4 Before The Dawn**

_**Fado Irish Pub, Washington DC**__**, 7.01pm, 16**__**th**__** December 2008**_

_The bar is relatively crowded for a Tuesday night but she does not have any difficulty in spotting Pete sitting at a corner table nursing a Guinness. As soon as he spots her, he gets up waves her over, a smile on his clean-shaven face. _

"_I hope you didn't have trouble finding the place." He can't believe how nervous he is, actually having to hold on to the seat cushion in order to force himself to relax. He never thought she would say yes when he bumped into her at the hospital last month. They had worked together once in Afghanistan but he had been half covered in camouflage grease and blood and she had been wearing a burqa and all he remembered were her eyes and her voice. His platoon had been ambushed and although his injuries were light, he had been in shock. She had held his hand and talked to him throughout the flight back to their base only to disappear when they landed and it was through sheer luck that he recognized her voice as she asked for directions to one of the wards at the Naval hospital._

"_I know my way around DC." Sarah shrugs her shoulders knowing she cannot say anymore and is glad to see that he understands and accepts her reticence. She had been so surprised when he had tapped her on the shoulder, taken her hand and steered her to a quieter part of the hospital waiting room. She had been tempted to take him down but was curious as to why he had approached her. It was only when he looked directly at her, did she recognize him even without the grease and blood. He had called it fate and insisted that she have dinner with him. She knew it was more due to the fact that it was inevitable their paths would cross considering she'd been assigned as one of the few CIA liaisons to the military and he worked for the Office of Naval Intelligence, but she said yes anyway. It was almost an impossibility to have a real relationship in her line of work but it did not stop her from testing that theory._

"_I hope you like Guinness cause its two for one night." He hands her a glass as she laughs. She hadn't laughed in such a long while and it felt good to just forget everything even if it was only for a night. No talk of weapons or infiltration plans or of the Intersect or death.__The food had been great and despite not being able to share anything personal, they had managed to talk for hours. It wasn't a perfect connection by any means but it was enough of a taste of normality that she actually felt bereft when he kissed her goodnight and she had to walk away. _

**Stanford University, 11.30am, 28****th**** March 2009**

Sarah has never believed in fate or providence instead always relying on logic and reason to explain things away. This time though, she's pretty much out of any good explanations as she ducks behind a pillar and waits for Chuck to go on his way. Even from this distance, she can feel the effect he has had on her. It's not easy to explain or even understand how a relatively simple encounter with a normal guy could leave her feeling so off kilter. As she watches him walk towards the building, she finally accepts that what she finds weird and different is actually the normality of the situation, that if she was any other girl, the encounter could have ended with them going out for coffee or him asking for her phone number. But she's not just a girl looking for the Packard building, she's a spy on a mission and even though she still feels like she owes him something, she pushes those thoughts aside knowing that she has an important mission to carry out.

She's so caught up in her head that she only registers the low conversation of the two students walking by because one of them had said something about Fleming's death. She almost reaches out to grab hold of the student, only to pull back at the last minute as she realizes that she cannot afford to cause a scene. "Hi, excuse me, sorry but did one of you say Professor Fleming's dead?" The southern accent she takes on not too prominent but just enough to be recognized and described should anyone ask.

The young man who turns to her, starts to answer only to stop just as suddenly as he looks at her. It's then that his female companion let's out a huff and interjects, "Yeah, it happened yesterday on campus. Jenny, my roommate was at the lecture and says that he just burst into class and died. Apparently," the girl leans conspiratorially closer to Sarah, "Professor Bartowski got questioned for a long time though I can't see him hurting a fly much less Professor Fleming. Tim here thinks it's always the quiet ones though."

It's only then that Tim finally finds his voice, "Well, I did hear that Fleming has been making Professor Bartowski take over some of his classes so maybe he did snap and kill the old goat. I mean the guy's mean and he never gives extensions. Besides, Prof Bartowski's a way better teacher and Fleming's been coasting on his old research for years. I heard that he prefers to spend time in Professor Bartowski's lab because he does most of the work and Fleming just takes the credit."

Sarah knows that she needs to find out more but cannot afford to draw any attention to herself. If Fleming is indeed dead, she knows well enough that it cannot be a coincidence and that it's connected to the reason why she's here. "But how did he die?"

"Jenny says she saw an arrow sticking out of his back but you know, she's a drama major so…Anyway, are you looking for him or something?" The girl's eye narrow suddenly, curious as to the questions as she looks up and down at Sarah.

"My younger sister is thinking of transferring here from UT and I was checking out housing and the safety of the campus for her. Looks like it's not so safe."

The young woman rolls her eyes and pulls Tim along the path, already relegating this encounter to the back of her memory not thinking that it's important in anyway as she throws a "yeah, maybe," over her shoulder towards Sarah and walks away, leaving Sarah to contemplate her next steps.

She had counted on this being a quick job that would enable her to make it up to Graham and protect Bryce's memory. Chuck Bartowski was a distraction she thought she could consign to another time and place but it did seem that if she wanted to get the list, she would have to break into his lab. She wonders if she'll find the secret upgrade there as well.

_**Gamma Delta Phi Frat House, Stanford, 10.12am, **__**20**__**th**__** April 2000**_

_Chuck looks around the living room for Bryce. He's still not sure that this is the best idea as he scans the room, hoping to see a familiar face. He had been so surprised when he had been approached for Rush week and even more so when the invitation to join actually got sent to him. He's almost sure Bryce had done something to ensure he got an invite and he does not want to be his charity case. It was obvious that all the Houses were targeting Bryce and would have agreed to almost anything to have him join._

"_Hey buddy, all ready to move in?" They had met a few months ago and Bryce had immediately taken a liking to Chuck. He was super smart but extremely shy and Bryce had taken it upon himself to get Chuck out of his shell. It actually didn't take much to get his frat to accept Chuck considering that most of the guys were anxious to get him to tutor them._

"_I..I don't know, I mean you didn't have to do this." He really likes Stanford but he still feels somewhat adrift, like there's something that he has to accomplish only he hasn't found it yet. Befriending Bryce had helped tremendously in getting him out of his shell but he still feels that there should be something more._

"_I didn't do anything. The guys think you'll make a great addition. A few of them are falling behind and will ask for tutoring and for that, you get subsidized room and board and, I've been saving this but you do know that we have a sister sorority, right?" Bryce laughs as he sees Chuck's cheeks turn red. _

"_You know, I heard about that." It's not that he's not comfortable around women but more the fact that he's not sure what he's actually looking for. He figures he'll know it when he sees it though, that it'll just be the only thing he can think about, the one thing that he'll always focus on._

**Packard Building, Stanford****, 9.02pm, 28****th**** March**

It's been more than eight hours since his meeting with Detective Mauser and Chuck still cannot shake the feeling that he's way out of his league. Every part of the conversation had seemed so ominous that Chuck still feels that he's done something wrong. At least his headache has subsided and he can again try and concentrate on his work or at least try to but all his thoughts keep going back to Sarah Walker.

He's trying really hard to not regret his decision to tell Mauser about her and he can still feel the pressure on his arm when Mauser had grabbed him and demanded he describe the entire encounter. Chuck could not deny the fact then that he was looking into the eyes of a killer and that even though Mauser was serving his country; Chuck knew that he enjoyed the killing just as much. The cold smile on the Detective's face when described Sarah Walker to him sent chills up his spine and right now, Chuck wishes he could take it all back. He knows looks can be deceiving and that Sarah Walker is as dangerous as Mauser is and that her record shows that she's killed before. It's just that he feels all of this is so wrong, that the good guys look bad and vice versa. It's all such a jumble in his head that he's not sure what to believe anymore.

Mauser had told him to call his number if he ran into her again and he thinks that it's the right thing to do even though it just does not feel like it. He goes over the information in his head and finally realizes that he's been relying on the assumption that whatever had been uploaded into his mind was correct. He's so caught up in these thoughts that he does not hear the lab door open or register the footsteps behind him until it's too late. The blow to his head catches him by surprise as his body slumps to the ground. It's only then that he manages to catch a glimpse of his assailant and the revelation does not surprise him as much as he thought it would as the blackness descends upon him and Mauser's face loses focus.

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The increased security patrols on Campus does not bother Sarah that much although it does make it difficult to stay in one place for too long as she sits on the bench and pretends to read her book. The light in his lab has been out for more than five minutes but Chuck Bartowski has still not exited the building. She waits for another few minutes before slowly getting up and walking towards the emergency fire exit at the south end of the building. She had managed to disable the lock and alarm from the outside a few hours ago in preparation for breaking in.

The corridor leading up to the lab is quiet, the bright lights a sharp contrast to the darkened room situated at the end of the passage way. She takes out her gun from her back holster and holds it to her side as she reaches the door and finds it slightly ajar. She senses that there is something amiss but cannot predict what it could be so she takes a deep breath and pushes the door inward, her gun held up as she scans the room. The lab is a mess, broken furniture and computer equipment strewn all over the floor. She slowly pushes the door open with her foot, her gun held up as she enters.

The glancing blow from the chair sends her crashing to the ground and it's then that she sees Chuck's body prone on the floor. She barely avoids the second blow as she rolls towards the table while firing off a wild shot. The sound reverberates in the room as she scrambles to her feet and barrels into her attacker, pushing him to the ground. She feels his fist hit her jaw as her head snaps back and responds by kneeing him in the groin and is rewarded with a painful grunt. Her joy is short lived as he grabs her shoulders and pushes her off him, her injured leg catching the side of a broken table and it knocks the breath out of her.

Her assailant's up on his feet before her and all she can see if his boot as he kicks her viciously in the stomach. She waits for him to take aim again before lashing out with her foot and sweeping him in the knee. He falls on his back and its then that she finally manages to get on her knees and raise her gun, "Who are you?" Finally getting a good look at the man. She does not expect the smile or his raised hands.

"Can't you guess, Agent Walker." He slowly sits up and places his hands on the back of his neck. "It's only a matter of time before you join your partner. So sorry to hear of his timely death." His voice mocking as he slowly pulls out the small caliber pistol hidden in his sleeve. He had been dispatched to retrieve the prototype Intersect from Fleming and knows he cannot go back empty handed. He's searched the lab and has not found the hard disk. However, if the rumors were true, she and Larkin were responsible for stealing Roark's prototype. He really does not care which Intersect he has, only knowing that he cannot return without one.

Sarah can feel her finger tighten on the trigger, so much so that she has to actively fight the impulse. She's convinced that he's part of Fulcrum like Roark was and therefore had also been responsible for her partner's death. Sarah knows she can just shoot him and Graham would not even put her on report but her sense of justice and duty are still so intrinsic in her that she just reaches for her phone in her back pocket intending to request for extraction and back up. It's then that the lights come on and two campus security guards barge into the lab, their guns sighted on her because of her own weapon.

"Stay where you are, hands in the air." She knows Graham's going to be pissed enough with having to bail her out so she holds up her hands in surrender, finally making the one mistake that seals her fate as she takes her eyes off the Fulcrum operative in order to placate the two guards. The movement at the corner of her eye makes her look down just in time to see her attacker's gun coming in an arc to catch her at the side of her head. Her last conscious thought is not of her own safety but hope that Chuck Bartowski is still alive so she can still make amends on Bryce's behalf.

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It's the warm sensation of a compress on his forehead that indicates that he's still alive and it's only then that he becomes aware that someone is taking his pulse and he slowly opens his eyes. "What..what happened?"

"Professor Bartowski?"

Chuck has to raise his head slightly to look around the paramedic taking his pulse to see the person asking the question. "Yes, someone broke into my lab and attacked me….What happened?" Chuck touches the side of his head and feels the raised bump, suddenly remembering that Mauser had been responsible. He distinctly recalls the man hitting him from behind and wonders what he should do with that information.

"Yes, sir, we apprehended the woman in question. Detective Mauser from the CBI was quite forceful in subduing her." The man grins at his partner as he recollects how pissed off Mauser had been when the woman had initially got the better of him. "My name is Officer Halloran and this is Officer Wong. Are you up to answering a few questions?"

"What?" Chuck's still disoriented and has to repeat himself as he stares at both of the Officers, "What woman?" he needs to be cautious here considering he's only privy to information that does not seem to compute in his head coupled with data in his head that does not fit his perception of what's going on around him.

"Caucasian Female, Blonde, five foot nine. Detective Mauser said he was coming to ask you a few more questions when he walked in on the break in. As far as he could piece together, she had just attacked you and was ransacking the place looking for something when he surprised her. She then pulled a gun on him but he managed to subdue her. We have her at the station currently although he was anxious to get her released into his custody. Issue is though; you need to press charges first before that can happen. If you confirm she broke in and attacked you, then it's a state case and we will release her into his custody. Otherwise it's her word against his and she'll need to be charged locally first."

He sees their expectant looks and is unsure of what to say or do. All along, he had assumed that the information in his brain was sacrosanct, that the knowledge it provided was the baseline truth. However, since there was no context to the origin of the information, it could very well mean that all the information in his head could also be false. "I…I don't remember. Maybe if I saw her?" Again, he's going on instinct more than anything else. Mauser had attacked both of them and perhaps that meant that she was more an ally to him than Mauser was.

"You should get that injury looked at first." A skeptical look graces Officer Wong's face as he points to Chuck's head.

"No, I'm ok, I want to see her first and then I'll go for a check up, I promise." He's adamant in his choice as he slowly gets up from the sofa and makes his way to the door. "I need to see her to know if she did this. Please, it's what Detective Mauser wants as well right? For me to confirm she attacked me." He finally looks up, hands in his pocket and waits for their answer, not sure if he really is up to confronting Sarah but knowing that he needs to find out the truth.

**Me****nlo Park Police Department, 10.15pm, 28****th**** March 2009**

The handcuffs are biting into her wrists but there's little she can do about it. Sarah had regained consciousness a few minutes ago, her hands cuffed to the back of the chair, which was bolted to the ground. From the soft ambient sounds emanating from the outside of her cell, she's at least glad that she's probably in one of the holding cells of a police station and not in Fulcrum custody, although she does not hear any voices which makes her wary. At least, the Fulcrum agent who hit her is nowhere in sight. However, her respite is short lived as the door to her cell opens and he enters, holding a file in his hands.

"Caucasian Female, five foot nine, between 25 to 29 years old, no fingerprints in the system, no ID on her person. You don't seem to exist, Miss Walker. Me on the other hand, well, I'm a decorated Detective with the California Bureau of Investigation sent here to investigate the death of a Stanford Professor. You attacked me without provocation. That does not go over well in the force." He knows he has only a small window of opportunity to get the information he needs. He had used up all his goodwill to obtain the next ten minutes alone with her with no interference and he knows he cannot afford to waste anymore time.

"Take one more step and I'll scream" She knows that he had probably ensured that no one would be around to hear it though it's still worth a try.

"Apparently, there's a disturbance call around the corner and all available officers are attending to it. Besides, this will only take ten minutes," He places the file on the table and removes a syringe from his pocket. "You graduated top of your class in 2002 both at Harvard and The Farm. Very impressive but you haven't gone up against Frank Mauser" He uncaps the syringe and plunges it into her thigh catching her by surprise. "I know you've been trained to withstand the usual Pentothal serum but this is something new, stronger. We don't really know if it causes any permanent damage but at least it does the job." He's smiling now, enjoying the fact that he does have the upper hand. He leans against the table, his arms folded and waits a few minutes for the drug to take effect.

Sarah struggles against the cuffs as she feels the liquid burn through the veins in her leg. It's then that she realizes that her vision is affected; she knows he's standing before her but all she can see is a blurred shape, the colors bleeding together and dimming more and more as each second passes. She shakes her head, to try and clear her vision but all it does is open up the gash at the side of her head where he had hit her during their fight in the lab.

"Where is the Intersect?" She can hear the question and feels compelled to answer but forces her mouth shut, biting her tongue in the process. She swallows the blood and knows that he will start to hit her and therefore expects the blow as his fist slams into her side. She uses the pain to focus on one thought in her mind, forgoing all others knowing that it's the truth, knowing that that is what she needs to tell him.

"Where is the Intersect?" Mauser, knows he cannot leave a new mark on her and hits the wound at the side of her head causing her neck to snap back. His fist comes away bloody and he shakes it off. He notes her unfocused eyes and knows that the disorientation from her lack of sight and the pain coupled with the truth compound will get him the answer he needs. He had noticed that she had been favoring her right leg and rears back to give a swift kick to her left thigh. It's that hit that causes her to finally open her clamped mouth and answer his question.

"Derby, Connecticut" she spits out knowing that it's the truth and that he'll accept her answer because he had worked for it, her blood on his hands. She feels his hand grab her hair, pulling her head back as he whispers in her ear, "Where in Derby?" She concentrates on his question and again she speaks the truth.

"Bryce's funeral." Sarah knows that with that answer, he has no more incentive to keep her alive and therefore makes her move as she jerks her head upwards and head butts him before lashing out with her right leg to catch him in the chin. Her aim is true although the force of the blow is not enough to incapacitate him so she does the next best thing and screams at the top of her lungs, praying that his ten minutes are up.

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"There are no handles on the doors back here." Chuck's pretty sure that they know that fact but he has a habit of babbling when he's freaked out and really can't help himself. "I mean it makes sense you know, because then people can't escape when you put them back here. So, the woman you arrested, do you have her name, maybe I'll recognize it?" He looks out the window as he waits for their answer hoping that they can tell him some form of the truth because he really does not trust what's in his head currently.

"She didn't have ID but they would have run her fingerprints through a database, I'll check." Chuck can hear the two way radio and does not pay it much attention to the conversation until he hears the last response back.

"…suspect has been transferred to Stanford University Hospital due to prior injuries sustained, over."

Even he can tell that the person is lying on the other end but keeps that opinion to himself. "I guess I can go and get my check up now too then." He can feel the fear building up in his gut, fear for his safety and oddly enough fear for Sarah Walker. All the information he has thus far points to her being the criminal but the fact that Mauser had attacked him and that Sarah who had been in police custody had now also sustained further injuries all indicate that he needs to talk to her to at least find out some semblance of the truth.

**Stanford ****University Hospital 11.23pm, 28****th**** March 2009**

Sarah knows that Mauser's just waiting for his opportunity to kill her and she's looking forward to his attempt. She had been extremely lucky that the cut on her head had started bleeding profusely when the other officers finally responded to her screams. They had not believed her when she had accused Mauser of assault but at least the excessive blood finally prompted the sergeant at the station to drive her to the hospital. She had noted though that Mauser had tailed the car until it reached the entrance of the hospital and that he would want to act fast before following up on her false lead.

She's lucky that they haven't confiscated her clothes and that the needle she palmed from the examination room is good enough to pick the lock of the cuffs although she does not use it as yet. The nurse who had attended to her had clucked maternally as she dressed her wounds, showing her contempt for the sergeant who had the decency to look away, embarrassed. For good measure, Sarah had also confided that she was diabetic and would need a shot of insulin soon. It was a ploy that she hoped would minimize any loss of life when Mauser came for her. The nurse had told her to tell the sergeant when she needed the shot so that he could inform her.

After which she had been wheeled to a secluded room in the basement and was told to rest. She had not swallowed the sedative they had insisted she take and only now spits it out onto the floor. The sergeant who drove her here is still sitting outside her room door and she waits another fifteen minutes before calling him and requesting for the insulin shot. He checks her cuffs before he leaves and finally she's alone. She quickly picks the lock of the handcuffs, pulls the blanket fully around her, turns on her side away from the door, as she closes her eyes, and slowly evens out her breathing.

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The cold blast of air that hits him as the hospital doors opens finally acts as a wake up call as Chuck realizes that he really has no idea what to do when he meets Sarah Walker again. He can't very well ask her if she's an assassin and he definitely can't tell her about his information flashes. Officer Wong directs him to the hard plastic chairs in the waiting room and tells him to take a seat and wait for his turn while Halloran talks to the nurse at the station.

Chuck's still trying to formulate some sort of plan when Halloran comes over, "She's being kept for overnight observation downstairs so you won't be seeing her tonight. My advice, get checked up and go home. We'll come by your place tomorrow morning and bring you here to see if you can confirm if she was the assailant. Ok?"

Chuck nods distractedly and waves them off as his mind goes over the different permutations of possible scenarios in his head; scenarios where Mauser's CIA and Sarah is not or where Sarah is CIA and Mauser is not or to make it even more complicated, where both of them are not the good guys at all. What he does know is that Fleming is dead and the disk he had given him contained information on both Mauser and Sarah and therefore it's not a leap to think that the both of them turning up would mean they were probably looking for the disk. The only problem of course is that the information on the disk no longer existed except in his head. So if his theory was correct, they would eventually come for him, QED. Except that he really does not want that theorem to be proven correct.

Chuck does not know what exactly catches his eye when the janitor walks past but something does and when he looks down, he notes that the man is wearing wing tips. His hair is longer and grey, his features hidden by the baseball cap pulled low. However, his height and weight resembles Mauser's. Chuck's worse fears are confirmed when he sees the man abandon his cart by the wall and enters the stairwell.

"Stay in the waiting room, Chuck. Just stay in the waiting room." He says the words out loud and repeats the mantra in his head a number of times for good measure but to no avail as he finally stands up and follows in Mauser's wake.

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She tenses as she hears the door slowly open knowing that he's finally here. He does not waste anytime as he rushes the bed, going for her throat. He does not expect her hands to be freed and she manages to break his hold. He punches her in the gut and pulls on her hair dragging her off the bed and has her again in a choke hold. She claws at his face, her nails coming away with blood and skin but it does not faze him. Sarah knows she has only one chance as she holds the needle in her hand and again swing upwards to his face, hoping to catch him in the eye.

Chuck hears a guttural cry as he opens the basement door and does not hesitate as he runs towards the room from where it had originated. He looks around in panic and sees a metal bedpan perched on one of the trolleys at the side and grabs for it as he burst through the room door.

Mauser tightens his forearm around her neck and can feel the fight slowly draining out of her. He sees her hand come up towards his face again and cannot react in time as the needle plunges into the soft tissue just below his eye socket. He does not let go though as he knees her in the back, one arm trying to remove the needle. His senses are so wrapped up in this fight that he does not hear the door slam open or expect the blow to the back of his head.

Sarah is fighting for every breath, not wanting to give up although she can feel the effects of the lack of enough oxygen. The hit to her back causes her to expel her last remaining breath and she's not sure if it's affecting her hearing as she hears the door slam open. It's only when she feels Mauser topple towards her, pushing her to the ground, does she understand that there is someone else in the room.

She scrambles from under his body, and can see that Mauser's still moving, his gun out and targeting the person who attacked him. Sarah quickly kicks the gun away and punches him in the throat, finally rendering him unconscious. It's only then does she looks up, panting, to see who had come to help her.

Chuck is standing there, his arms raised to his chest, holding a metal bedpan, a flabbergasted expression on his face and she cannot help the crazy giggle from escaping. His eyes widen as he notes her disheveled state and she covers her mouth, not wanting to scare him with an inappropriate response although the current expression on his face is a funny one if viewed out of context.

"I need to get out of here." Her voice is raspy but she knows he can understand although he just continues to stare at her. "Do you have a phone?"

Chuck nods, understanding the questions but not trusting himself to speak, knowing that he would either start to babble and never stop or worse yet, say something that would cause her to kill him. He hands over his phone though and hears her side of the conversation.

"Walker secure. Project Sandwall."

The familiar sensation takes hold and Chuck's eyes lose focus as the data again begins to flash before his mind's eye.

"Parakeet,

Fulcrum logo,

Project Sandwall

Classified data,

Pictures of Mauser,

Agent Vincent Smith,

Project Omaha reports,

rubber duck,

Parakeet. "

He blinks rapidly trying to digest the new information and only hears then end of her call.

"…I will secure him but you need to get here soon and Graham, I'm going need a few more days, please." The pleading tone surprises him as does her question to him when she hangs up.

"Are you ok?" She can't mask the concern in her voice as she notes that he's really affected by the situation and lowers her voice further, hoping that she's not going to frighten with her next request. "I need you to help me move him to the bed, can you do that?"

Chuck nods and moves forward as he sees her bend down. He sees her use the handcuffs to secure Mauser's arms to the bedpost and covers his body with the blanket, placing the pillow at an angle and obscuring his head fully. She then proceeds to check all his pockets and triumphantly shows him the car keys she has found.

"Who are you and what is Project Sandwall?" It's the only question he thinks can give him an indication as to her affiliation. According to the data in his head, Project Sandwall was the codename for a project to hunt rogue CIA agents; a project that has not succeeded because of an Agent Vincent Smith.

Sarah knows she cannot tell him about the Project or about much of anything but she also knows that due to his recent actions, he's already involved. Mauser had attacked Chuck before she got there and it was only by sheer luck that she arrived in time. He had already thrashed the lab and going by her own interrogation session, he was probably tasked with retrieving the Intersect that Fleming was working on. All this meant that Fulcrum would send another operative for it even if Mauser was out of the picture and therefore they would come after Chuck again. She realizes now that she needs to protect him. He looks expectantly at her, his eyes demanding an answer but she cannot give it to him so she settles for the next best thing as she pulls out the picture from her back pocket.

"My name is Sarah Walker, I work for the CIA and I need you to come with me. Bryce wanted me to give this to you." She offers him the picture, torn and stained with Bryce's blood. She knows that they have to leave now so she holds his hand and leads him to the stairwell, hoping he does not resist.

Chuck didn't expect her to answer his question but it also does not give him any more indications as to whether to trust her. Her mention of Bryce's name did not prove much although the stained picture in his hand does. "Where is he? What have you done to him?" Her hold on his arm is loose, allowing him the leeway to stop or pull back but still leading him towards the stairwell. Chuck knows he can stop this but chooses not to.

"We were partners." She cannot control the hitch in her voice and turns her face away as she holds his hand tighter and leads him to the exit doors.

It's only when they get to the car park and Chuck can see her testing the lock on the keys trying to find the car, does he speak, "Bryce is dead? He's dead isn't he and that guy Mauser was trying to kill you and you just want me to go with you?" The fear and anger in his voice is evident. "I'm not going anywhere until you tell me the truth. Who the hell are you and what is Project Sandwall?" He's shouting now and can see that she's affected by his outburst. He knows she's hurt but can't bring himself to do anything about it currently.

Sarah swallows, trying to buy some time to think of her next words, knowing that she needs to gain his trust and therefore needs to ask for it. At least she hears the doors unlock on a late model brown sedan and slowly walks towards it hoping he will follow. She's already feeling light headed and her steps are unsteady but at least she hears his footsteps behind her. She slowly lowers herself to the ground on the passenger side of the car, her arm stretched underneath it and pulls out a small digital tracer, dropping it to the side and crushing it with her foot. She slowly stands up again, using the car to steady herself.

The adrenaline kick she had been on, has run out and she knows that she's not going to stay conscious for much longer. "He died a few days ago and… trust me, after Mauser was done with me, he would …have come for you. Bryce wanted me… to find you,…… make amends. But I need your help first, we..need to..get to someplace..safe. Fulcrum …will come after…us" Her words are slurred as she sways on her feet, her last reserve of strength used up and she keels forward. She hopes that she has said the correct things but cannot be sure that he will be there when she regains consciousness.

Chuck rushes towards her, catching her body just in time. He sees the bloodied bandage at the side of her head and is at a loss as to what to do next. The mention of Fulcrum and the fact that she has asked for his help finally spurs him on as he carries her to the car and buckles her in. He doesn't trust her, not by a long shot. However, he also does not trust the police or the hospital considering she had almost died in both places. All he knows and believes currently is that she did save his life when Mauser aimed his gun at him and for right now, it was a good enough indication.

He starts the car and drives, hoping that the destination he has chosen is the right one.

**The End**

**Ok, so the number of reviews for Chapter 3 was much lower than the previous 2 chapter which prompts this week's poll**

**A) Chapter 3 was not that great but Chapter four is better so here is my review (insert review here)**

**B) Oops I forgot to press the green button so I'll do it twice now :D**

**C) Is is a coincidence that jomarch takes longer to post when the reviews are down? Discuss and predict number of reviews.  
**

**D) Poor readers do suffer from review fatigue and just want to read the story :)  
**


	5. One Step Forward

**A/N - First of thanks so much for the reviews and really insightful comments and encouragement. I do write faster with those. So we're onto Chapter 5 and I hope it has enough intrigue and Charah to sustain your interest. **

**The Inevitable Life of Chuck Bartowski**

**Chapter 5 One Step Forward**

_**Pacific Coast Highway**__**, 4.32pm, 5**__**th**__** September 1999**_

_The coastline is beautiful and Chuck cannot tear his eyes away from the ocean as he stares out the car window. He can hear Ellie singing softly in the front seat and knows that Devon's holding her hand. He likes the guy and is happy for Ellie but can see things changing. That it's not going to be the two of them against the world and it would now include Awesome Devon. He's amazed at the number of contextual usages the word Awesome has and is learning about it more and more._

"_So Bro, it's Awesome that you chose Stanford but we are so going to beat you at the Bowl in November." Devon knows how much Ellie loves her brother and although he's just moving to Stanford, she's already having a difficult time with the separation. "You sure you don't want to go to UC and stay closer to home?" he feels Ellie's hand tighten around his and knows she's asking him to ease off but it's difficult to see her hurt and not try and do anything about it._

"_Devon, I'm getting a full ride and Professor Fleming's been really great with accommodating my schedules and getting me early admission. Besides, the drive is not too bad and I'll come home weekends and holidays." He specifically addresses the last part to his sister knowing that although she's proud and happy for him, she does not like to be left. He doesn't as well but Ellie's been the most affected by their Dad's recent abandonment that in his mind he knows that she believes that it's somehow her fault. He knows that someday he'll have to prove her wrong. It's been something he's been thinking about for sometime and when he works up the courage to move forward, he prays that Ellie will understand._

_**Harvard Yard, **__**Cambridge MA, 23**__**rd**__** January 1999**_

_The ground is covered with snow but she does not feel the cold as she looks at the mobile phone in her hand. She knows the number by heart but has not managed to complete the call, each time hanging up before the line connects. If she was being honest with herself, she's actually more afraid of what would happen after the call than of the call itself. She knows the decision she has before her and is also mindful that it's too late to turn back now. Everything has been arranged and in order to move forward, she needs to do this. She finally let's the call connect, the phone held tightly to her ear._

"_California State Prisons Office, How may I assist you?"_

"_Can I please speak to Jack Burton, his CDC number is 034128." _

"_Hold please, while I connect you. I believe your call is expected." By the sound of it, Graham really had faith that she would go through with it._

"_Hey, Darlin." His voice is soothing to her ears although she cannot stop the tears from forming as if on cue._

"_Hi Daddy, I.." She takes a deep breath, the words not at all difficult to say but their meaning carrying so much weight. "I just wanted to tell you that I'll be taking that scholarship I told you about." He's silent on the other end and she can tell that he does not want her to do this for him. However, he's her father and she loves him despite his shortcomings. When they had been arrested in Atlantic City, she had thought the worst would occur, only to be given a reprieve by the CIA. It really wasn't a difficult choice, their records wiped clean and her father's commuted jail time in exchange for her loyalty to her country. It really had been the easiest decision of her life._

"_Jenny" There is so much emphasis on that name, that she can tell his teeth are clenched. "you don't have to do this. I don't need you to do this." Again, he emphasizes the last word._

_He never calls her by any of her aliases unless he is really angry with her and trying to distance himself. The tears fall freely now and she tries to hide them from her voice, "I love you daddy, always have," her voice breaks and a small sob escapes, "always will." He does not speak for a good five minutes although she can hear his breathing on the other end of the line. She knows he's just coming to terms with this and therefore needs the time._

"_You take care, darlin. I'll look out for you when you're done." She knows he's crying too now and that he finally understands why she needs to do this. She disconnects the line and finally feels the cold as she pulls her coat around her. She's Sarah Walker now as she turns around and tosses the phone into a nearby trash bin as she had been instructed. Its Sarah Walker, who slowly walks towards her new life, not looking back._

**Pacific Coast Highway, 4.32****am, 29****th**** March 2009**

Chuck hasn't stopped the car since he started driving, needing the increasing distance to grant him more comfort around the decision he has made, not only the destination he's driving to but inclusion of the person he's currently with. He looks across to see that Sarah's still unconscious, her brow still furrowed although it does not diminish her beautiful features in anyway. A lock of her hair has fallen across the bloodied bandage at her temple and he has to control the urge to tuck it around her ear. Finally giving into it because he knows she is asleep. He slowly brushes it aside, his fingers then lingering but not touching her face. It's only her soft sigh that finally pushes him to pull back and fiddle with the radio, adjusting the volume downwards so as not to wake her.

Sarah wasn't really faking at the hospital and had fainted in the parking lot. She had awakened two hours ago and was surprised to find herself in a moving car, presumably being driven somewhere by Chuck. She's still feeling very disoriented and knows that she needs time for the drugs to wash out of her system. She had not given him any indication that she was conscious so as not to freak him out and to also allow her time to think of her next steps. Mauser was going into a deep dark hole courtesy of the CIA so she does not have to worry about him. However, he had knowledge of her and Bryce and their affiliation to the Intersect project. Coupled with the fact that he had been investigating Fleming's death could only mean that he was Fulcrum and when he does not check in, they will send someone else in his stead to finish whatever assignment he had been given.

She feels Chuck's hand as he pushes away a lock of her hair and she has to tell herself to breathe out, her breath coming out as a sigh, and again control herself so as not to react. It's a simple gesture that she cannot interpret and so she relegates it to the back of her mind, learning to compartmentalize things she does not understand. She hears the soft music and finally opens her eyes, the interior of the car is dim and she waits for her eyes to acclimatize before speaking. "Where are we going?" Her voice is soft but she sees him tense at her words and is unsure of what to do next. It's not a feeling she's comfortable with because it makes her question her own judgment. "Thank you." Again, she's not quite sure if it's the right thing to say as she stares at his profile.

Chuck nods at her words, not really trusting himself to speak. He had already been on the verge of freaking as he was driving with her being unconscious next to him. He's not sure what to do now that she's woken up.

"Are you ok?" The concern is obvious in her voice, as she tentatively reaches out to touch his arm.

The movement is something he does not expect as he jerks away, accidentally twisting the wheel and sending the car careening off to the side of the road. He jams the brakes hard and finally gains control of the car as he stops by the side of the road.

"I'm sorry", "I'm so sorry." They're both apologizing over each other and Chuck can see that she's just as unsure as he is.

"I'm not going to hurt you." She can see that he is afraid and does not like to be the cause of his fear. She is really not lying although he probably would not be able to tell the difference anyway.

Chuck looks straight at her for the first time in hours and believes she's actually telling the truth, he's just not sure how much stock to put into his beliefs currently. Her eyes do not waver from his gaze and he finally nods, "LA, I'm driving to LA."

The pain hits her so suddenly that she doubles over, moaning. She's almost sure that it's just a side effect of the drug Mauser had given her and that she just needs time for it to get out of her system. She blindly reaches for the door handle and pushes open the door, barely making it a few feet before collapsing on her hands and knees and throwing up. She had not eaten in over twenty hours and just dry heaves, the convulsions tearing through her body. She does not even register that he's there, one hand holding her hair back, while the other is around her shoulders, until she hear his voice.

"Easy, I've got you. It's ok, I'm here " He sounds so much like Bryce in those early years that she has to turn to look at him.

"Mauser, he gave me a drug, a much stronger…pentothal …derivative. It'll take some…time..to get..out…" She can feel the blackness closing in again but unlike the last time, she's sure that he'll be there when she wakes up.

He holds her, only then noticing that there is fresh blood on her thigh and it spurs him on again as he gently carries her to the car, even more convinced that his destination is true.

**Silverlake, California, 7.23am, 29****th**** March 2009**

It's only when he turns into the parking lot of Ellie's building does he realize that in all his haste, he has not checked if she's actually home. Chuck scans the cars parked there and is relieved to see Ellie's Honda parked in her usual spot. He looks over at Sarah and can see that she's still pale, her breathing a bit more shallow than usual. He looks down to see more blood soaking through her pants and that finally pushes him out of the car and down the path to Ellie's apartment. He knocks on the door not really prepared for it to open as he really is not sure what he needs to say.

He can hear faint voices coming from the inside and takes a deep breath when the door finally swings open to reveal Ellie in her scrubs, "Morgan, it's too ear…" She trails off as she stares at her brother, not expecting him to be there and unsure if it's actually him. "Chuck?" She does not wait for his answer as she pulls on his shirt with one hand while the other envelopes him in a crushing hug, her head burrowed in his chest.

Chuck tightens his arms around his sister for the first time in over seventeen months and is just content to stand there. He sees Devon hovering in the hall way and notes that he is also in his scrubs which meant that they were on their way to work which quickly jolts him back to the reason he came here. "Ellie, I need your help." There is fear in his voice as well as uncertainty as he really does not know how his sister is going to react to what he's about to ask of her. He can feel her tears soaking through his shirt and hopes he does not hurt her further.

"Are you ok? What's wrong?" Ellie steps back holds onto his arms and looks at his face, trying to discern if anything is wrong. She's heard his tone before and it has never bode well for her. It was the same tone he used when she came home to find that their dad had left for good. He looks tired and afraid and all she wants to do is to be his big sister again.

"There's someone in the car, she's hurt and I need you to help her." Chuck's beginning to think that it may not have been the best idea to come here, not because he won't get help but because he may have exposed his sister to whatever trouble he's in. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have come, I wasn't thinking straight. Fleming was killed and I didn't want to get involved although I think I already am. I'm not sure what to do but I need your help." The words tumble out and he can see the confusion in Ellie's eyes that quickly change to concern as she sees him start to panic.

"Devon, could you get my bag and put it in Chuck's room." Ellie's voice is firm and in control although she's feeling anything but. All she understands right now is that her brother whom she has not seen in over seventeen months is here and that he needs her help. She hopes that he is not in any trouble but even if he was, she does not care right now as she can see that she needs to be there for him. "Where is she?"

Chuck cannot hide the relief on his face at Ellie's words. He knows that he will need to ensure that they leave as soon as he knows Sarah is ok because he cannot afford to expose Ellie to whatever he's been exposed to. "She's in the car." He turns and takes off at a run, knowing that his big sister is right behind him. He can see Sarah slumped in the car seat and his heart skips a beat. It's Ellie who moves forward now and opens the door. She checks Sarah's pupils and takes her pulse. "Her heartbeat is strong although she has mydriasis." Chcuk looks at her worried and she quickly explains. "Her pupils are dilated."

"Can you help her? She saved my life and I think she was given a drug of some kind, a Pentothal derivative. " His voice is pleading and Ellie understands that Chuck's taken it onto himself to help this woman. She nods at his statement, realizing that it could be the reason for the dilated pupils.

She looks at the bandage on the side of the woman's head and notes that there is also a wound on her leg and various bruises and scrapes visible. "Can you carry her inside?"

She looks at her brother as he gently carries the blond woman from the car and she wonders who she is and how she got to that state. She knows for a fact that Chuck was not the one who hurt her but if the woman is in trouble, it would mean that by protecting her, Chuck could be too. She pushes those thoughts aside though as her medical instinct kicks in and the foremost thought in her mind is to ensure her patient is ok.

Chuck does not say anything as he carries Sarah into his old room. The Tron poster is still on the wall and so is the les paul 100 leaning in the corner. He places her on the bed and as soon as he does, Ellie quickly gets to work with Devon's help. He's seen her like this before, all cool and confident and it still makes him proud of her. To know that despite the difficulties in their lives, she's doing what she she's great at.

"Devon, can you hook up the IV, she's dehydrated and I need to do a thorough exam before giving her anything else." She begins to remove Sarah's clothes and her brother finally reacts as he shields his eyes.

"Ellie!" Chuck quickly covers his eyes with his hands, not knowing where to look currently.

"Relax Chuck, why don't you and Devon go and finish breakfast." At least she's sure that whoever this woman is, Chuck has not had a relationship with her, at least not yet. She hears Devon lead Chuck out and closes the door and she gets back to the task at hand. Her heart grows heavier though as she begins to undress the woman, noticing the scars both old and new that grace her body. She can tell that the woman is really quite beautiful and in great shape although she's had a number of possibly traumatic experiences by the looks of it. She cleans and dresses the gunshot wound on her thigh and not for the first time wonders what exactly has her brother got into. She almost stops when she finds a gun strapped to her back and a small vicious looking knife hidden in her boot. But the woman is still unconscious and the doctor side of Ellie's personality cannot abandon a patient regardless of whether she herself may be in danger.

There are old burn scars on her back and another possible old bullet wound through her right upper arm. Dark bruises are forming on her abdomen and sides and she can see finger marks on her neck and Ellie cannot stop the shudder from going through her. Whoever this woman is, she's been through a lot and what really scares her is that Chuck seems determined to protect her. She removes the bandage at the side of her head, noting that the cut there is at least shallow and that it would be better to just use the butterfly bandages. Finally, she injects her with a small dose of paracetamol, to bring down her low grade fever and knowing that it should not interact too badly with the drug in her system although it probably won't give her any pain relief as she hears the woman's soft moan.

Chuck's been staring at his room door for the past half an hour, all the while hoping for Ellie to emerge with a smile on her face to tell him everything is going to be fine. He knows it's not fair to expect that of her such that when she finally emerges, he is the one who gives her a tentative smile, hoping that she understands that he appreciates all her help.

"Who is she, Chuck?" She tries her best to keep the worry and anger from her voice but knows she is not succeeding when she sees her brother's face. She not angry at him but angry for him. She does not want him to again take up a lost cause but can see the determination in his features. He looks tired and worn and it breaks her heart to see him like this.

"I can't tell you, I don't think it's safe. We should leave." He does not like to be cryptic and he really does not have the experience in subterfuge but he knows that involving Ellie could be dangerous.

"No, Chuck, she'll be out for at least a few more hours and you look like you could use some sleep." she lowers her voice as she touches his face, ensuring that he's looking at her. "I just need to know that your not doing anything illegal or dangerous, it's my prerogative as your big sister to look out for you." She smiles at him, wanting him to understand that although they have been apart physically, he has never wavered from her thoughts.

"I think she works for the government in some capacity and right now, I have more questions than answers myself. But what I do know is that I won't involve you in anything more until I get this all sorted out. Ellie, you have to trust me on this. I don't want to lose you again." He's holding onto her hand and she can see he's determined for now. Once again, Ellie is faced with a choice. She can force the issue like the she the last time and lose him, maybe for good or she could accept that he's an adult who needs to make his own mistakes and who knows when to ask for help.

"You can rest in our room." She kisses him on the forehead glad to have him back in her life again.

"It's ok, I don't want Sarah to wake up alone."

"Sarah? It's a nice name." She wants to know about how this woman came into her brother's life but understands that if what he is saying is correct, if she was a government agent of some kind, it would explain the scars and trauma she found although it would also indicate that she was probably dangerous as well. "Promise me you'll be careful, this Sarah, she may have saved your life but she seems to have lead a dangerous life as well. She has scars and I found these." She hands the gun and knives to Chuck and can see him almost recoil when he sees what she has in her hands.

Devon who has been relatively silent allowing Ellie to do most of the talking and just standing next to her to give support finally chips in when he sees the weapons. "Whoa, Chuck that's just not cool, man. Ellie could have been hurt, what were you thinking."

"Sarah couldn't hurt Ellie in her state and she didn't hurt me. She had a number of chances too and she didn't. I have to think that means something and I think Bryce sent her." He wants to finally be honest with his sister, knowing that he cannot hide things from her anymore and that he will also eventually tell her about their dad but knows this is still a good start. It would also highlight the reason why he is beginning to perhaps give Sarah the benefit of the doubt.

"Bryce, your old roommate from college, the one who got Jill kicked out? Why?"

The questions are all the same ones that have been running through his own head. "Yeah, I think they were partners and he asked her to find me." He does not know how Mauser and Fleming fit into this whole mess but deep down is beginning to realize that perhaps it's all really connected and he's involved now because of what Fleming had given him and the information that is now residing in his head. "I'll get some sleep and we'll be gone by tonight." He can see she's going to protest so he pushes on, "I know you want to help and you're worried, ok beyond worried. But you have t o trust me here. I've missed you and I want you to be safe and I will take care of myself as well, ok?"

"You call me if you need anything." She grabs his hand so that she can look into his eyes. "Anything at all. Day or Night." He nods and she hugs him again. "Go get some sleep. I'll come back in a few hours to check on Sarah." She watches as he walks towards the bedroom and she can see the man he has become and is proud of him.

"Hon, are you sure about this." Devon has never considered not supporting Ellie in any of her decisions but still feels the need to get her reiteration here. He knows how much she has missed Chuck and that his absence from her life has not been easy. However, his role is to support and protect her if necessary and he's not sure which to do currently. He hugs her as she turns towards him. "Hey, it's ok, I'm here and you know, we'll get through this and support Chuck with whatever he needs." He knows he's said the right thing when he sees the patented Eleanor Fay Bartowski smile.

Chuck enters his old room and although nothing in there has changed, he feels like a completely different person. He wonders if it has to do with the new information in his head that he is privy to or more to do with the woman currently sleeping in his bed. He really does not have the energy to answer that question and just settles into the old beanbag on the floor and closes his eyes.

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He's never been a heavy sleeper and the minute she moans in her sleep, he's awake and almost on his feet. He can see her restless in the bed and thinks she's having a bad dream but is not sure what he should do.

"Bryce, no." Sarah eyes fly open as she looks around frantically, her eyes finally falling on Chuck whose standing next to the bed. "Where are we?" She needs to deflect the questions she knows he wants to ask her so she launches into one of her own.

"My sister's apartment in Silverlake, she's a doctor and I didn't know where else to take you. You were dreaming about Bryce?" He's guessing that she'll try and avoid the question and she does not disappoint.

"Thanks, what time is it?" Sarah is really hoping that he'll let it go but she can see his jaw set at her response.

He looks at his watch before answering, understanding that he will get the answers he needs. "It's a bit after eleven. You said Fulcrum will come for us. Who is Fulcrum and how am I involved?" He can see that she's just in her underwear as the blanket slips further down her torso and he looks away, only to look back when she pulls the blanket up again.

Sarah knows she has a choice here. She could lie to him, straight faced, voice unwavering and he would not know. Or she could go with some semblance of the truth because he did not abandon her when she asked for his help, instead ensuring she received proper medical aid. For that, he deserved something better than a lie. She just needed to ensure that what she tells him will not put him in any further danger but instead help him to understand her plight and mission. "Fulcrum is a rogue organization made up of a few current and ex CIA agents amongst others. They trade in secrets and weapon technology, selling it to anyone who can pay. I think they're looking for something that Professor Fleming had and you were in the way."

The pieces are beginning to fit in his head and he really does not like the answers he's coming up with. If what Sarah is telling him is even remotely true, then both Fulcrum and the CIA (and even now he's not sure which is which) would be after the information on the disk that Fleming had given him, which unfortunately now resides in his head. The only thing he is sure of right now is that no one knows of that fact and he will have to continue to hide it from everyone especially Sarah. "In the way of what, what are they. What are you looking for?" He wants her to tell him the truth, to at least respect him enough to share that and he has to hide his surprise when he hears her answer.

"Your colleague George Fleming had worked on a project for the government about ten years back. He complied a list of candidates for the project and I need to find that list. I also have reason to believe that recently, he may have been working on a program upgrade of some sort that's related to the project as well." She does not want to frighten him any further than she needs to and understands that talking about the Intersect upgrade could put him in even more danger. But she needs his help and needs him to understand the gravity of the situation. "Fulcrum will kill for either and I need to find it first."

She cannot read the expression on his face and it throws her because it looks akin to surprise but she cannot fathom why he would feel that as she had expected fear and confusion. "I will protect you. Ensure that you and your sister are safe." She sees Chuck staring at her, unblinking and she does look away because for the first time in a long while, she absolutely means what she says.

"George always considered himself a luddite in his personal papers and correspondences. He liked to write longhand and he kept everything until about two years ago when there was a fire in his office. Some of the papers were destroyed and he was forced to get his TA to scan then and back them up on a file server." Chuck remembers the fire and the fact that Fleming had not really been himself, always nervous and looking over his shoulder then. Even Alice had commented that despite his own aversion to storing his papers online, he had personally scanned the more private information himself over the course of a few days.

"Where's the server?" She sees Chuck hesitate, "I know this is all difficult to accept and I'm as surprised as your are on the coincidence of your involvement but if you think of it, Fleming was the target and you just happened to be at the wrong place at the wrong time."

He does not correct her interpretation of events but smiles for the first time, "And you happened to be in the right place because Bryce sent you?" He sees her nod, eyes looking out into the distance, a softer expression on her face.

"He wanted to explain, make amends himself." Sarah blinks a number of times, not wanting to show any more emotion than necessary. "For all his faults, he always tried to do the right thing." She needs Chuck to understand at least that much. In that respect, she and Bryce were the same.

"I'm sorry he's dead" He can see that she is affected although she's really good at masking her emotions. Even now, her facial expression is bordering on serene and the only thing that gives it away is the fact that she's looking through him and not at him.

"He saved my life," She shakes her head and comes out of her reverie, realizing that she still needs some form of commitment from Chuck as she again focuses on him.

"And you kinda saved mine so the least I can do is get you access to the Server to see if you can find the information you need there. Ellie will be back in a couple of hours and as soon as she gives you a clean bill of health, we can go back to Stanford and get you the information you need. I have a meeting with the Dean as well and I don't think it would do me any favors to cancel that." The smile she gives is amazing and he wonders how much more he would tell her to elicit such a smile again. However, he still needs to protect himself and definitely Ellie and although she's given him some information, it still does not give him comfort that she'll continue to protect him if she found out that the information she may be looking for could also be stored in his head. He has a rough idea of someone who may be able to help him but to do that he would need to get back to Stanford anyway.

_**Pi Beta Phi Sorority House, 8.17am, Stanford 6**__**th**__** January 2003**_

_Jill hears the loud knock on her door and ignores it. She's already packed but does not want to go downstairs just yet as she knows that some of her sorority sisters are still having breakfast and she cannot bear to face them. She is surprised that they let either Bryce or Chuck up to her room but guesses that at this point, they just want her out as quickly as possible. It's then that she drags herself off her bed and opens the door._

"_Ms Roberts, sorry to intrude but I have a proposition for you." George does not like to be this forward on campus knowing that the CIA recruiter has also been tasked with keeping tabs on him. Unfortunately, he does not have a choice here as his instructions are clear. Recruit Jill Roberts at all costs or else. He knows if he fails, Fulcrum won't kill him first. They'll start with destroying his career and then his loved ones and then only address him. They had started to do that to Stephen until he disappeared and George cannot take the chance. _

"_Professor Fleming? What proposition? You listened to Bryce and Chuck and signed my expulsion papers." She's taken aback at her visitor and even more so by what he's saying. It's only when she sees the syringe he takes out from his jacket pocket does she realize that something is very wrong. She see him cross the threshold into her room and starts to scream._

_He lunges forward, the syringe sinking into the side of her neck and although she thinks she has managed to make a sound, in reality, she's paralyzed and falling onto the floor. Her last conscious visual is that of Fleming taking out his cell phone to make a call. As her eyes shut involuntarily, she hears him talking into the phone, simple innocuous words with an ominous undertone. "You can prep for the test, she'll be there soon."_

**Upper East Side, Manhattan, 10.11am 29****th**** March 2009**

The apartment is dark, all the shades drawn tightly shut, banishing all external natural light. She had only got to bed two hours ago and right now chooses not to acknowledge the phone ringing in the background. She's so tired and it's only at times like these where she's so fatigued that the constant pain she feels is dulled by sheer exhaustion. However, it's only when she goes through the simple process of elimination does she realize that the noise is neither coming from her cell or the land line but from the satellite phone that is only used to activate her status. She knows it's a call she cannot ignore or refuse and she slowly gets out of bed and reaches for her cane.

The walk to the phone is slow and painful and Jill finally answers it on its fifteenth ring. "Sandstorm."

The beeps and hiss on the line indicates that they're running a voice recognition program and she waits patiently for the instructions that she knows will come. "Fleming has been eliminated before we could take possession of hid prototype Intersect. We have reason to believe that the CIA may have taken possession of both Intersects, although not without consequences."

"What do you mean?" Jill's fully awake now, the mention of the Intersect projects piquing her interest because of its impact on her own life.

"Bryce Larkin has been confirmed dead although the whereabouts of the Intersect he stole is still unknown. Are you sure about Bartowski's input into Fleming's work?" The voice at the other end takes on a herder edge.

She has never liked using herself to barter for George's compliance but knows it's a choice she made to survive, a long time ago. "The last time he was here, he said that Bartowski's recent work could solve the data architecture disconnect he had. Who killed Fleming?"

"Mauser had been dispatched to obtain the new prototype and had to dispose of Fleming before he took possession. However, he has not checked in at his last time window. You will need to confirm his capture and more importantly, you need to bring Bartowski in by whatever means necessary as we do not have time to find the prototype. You ticket and instructions are downstairs. Agent Smith will be on site when capture is confirmed. Do not fail."

The last line more a threat than anything else. She does not intend to fail, not because she wants to do her best here for her masters but more because this is finally her chance to do something for herself. To get back at one of the two people who had a hand in ruining her life. If Bryce was already dead then she would need to concentrate all her efforts to ruin Chuck. She does not think beyond that target, nor does she acknowledge that if she succeeds, she'll see Vincent again.

**The End**

**Ok, so no more review targets just a plea to review and to help see poll below  
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**I give you this chapter's poll**

**A) Jill & Vincent - Really??? Discuss (This is for Malamoo)**

**B) Are you happy with the Charah progress? Yes/No/Umm, I was actually shipping (insert ship here)**

**C) Jill - Misunderstood or Totally Evil?**

**D) You can stop with the prompts, here is my review (insert review here)  
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	6. Three Steps Back

**A/N - Note to self, linking reviews and chapter posting does not work :). Anyway, here's where some of the players come together and Chuck gets his kiss! **

**The Inevitable Life of Chuck Bartowski**

**Chapter 6 Three Steps Back**

**Washington DC, 11.27am, 29****th**** March 2009**

"Are you sure of this information?" Beckman's voice has that quality that makes one question one's own knowledge and it's no different with Casey as he again looks at the CIA manifest in his hand and nods.

"A suspected Fulcrum agent was taken into custody in San Francisco yesterday. Agent on the scene was one S. Walker and suspect has been sent for questioning." Casey looks expectantly at Beckman, waiting for her to give him the order but she remains silent, a skeptical look on her face. "I checked the newspapers going back a few days and the most interesting article of note was the murder of one Stanford Professor, George Fleming." Again, he waits for Beckman's order but none is forthcoming and he's beginning to lose his patience.

"Major Casey, while I appreciate your attention to detail, all this does not mean anything. You already have lead on the Intersect project." She knows that Casey is still bearing a grudge against the CIA for Captain O'Shea's death but she had thought that news of Bryce's death would appease him.

"They're going to want the project back. You know as well as I that Fleming worked on the Intersect project for them in the beginning and if Walker and Fulcrum are in the mix, it could mean that there is more Intersect related information that they are not sharing with us." He uses his ace in the hole currently as he makes a show and drops two pictures onto her table. "The bald guy is Fleming and the guy next to him is his protégé, one Associate Professor Charles Irving Bartowski who's been developing programs that can collate and disseminate three dimensional subliminal images." He sees Beckman look at the second picture and notes her eyes widen. "Yeah, I don't believe in coincidences either." his smirk finally coming out in full force as he looks at the picture of a younger Bryce and Charles standing next to each other in front of Hoover Tower at Stanford.

"You think this Professor Bartowski could have information relating to the Intersect program?" For once, she does agree wholeheartedly with Casey on the fact that there are no such things as coincidences. Casey's nod is enough to prompt her next words. "Very well, go out there and observe the situation."

"And if I find anything suspicious?" Casey knows that he does not need an excuse or permission but if his instincts are correct, he's sure that the CIA is already onsite and that he would need Beckman's backing if he went head to head with Walker.

"We have full purview of the Intersect project and you will have the leeway to act as needed should you think the project is compromised or affected in anyway. As a courtesy, I will inform Graham after you check in with your preliminary findings. Dismissed."

Casey salutes smartly, turns on his heel and quickly exits before Beckman can change her mind. He likes the Californian sun but is not looking forward to the confrontation with Walker However, he knows she has to learn that she is no longer in charge of the project and if he had his way, the project would be dead and buried before long. He has never liked seeing good men lose their lives in vain and he's quite sure that like all other military vanity projects, the Interect project will soon be a thing of the past.

_**Ballarat, California**__**, 3.47pm, 19**__**th**__** March 2008**_

_Chuck is sitting awkwardly because the cushions are soft and the chair is too close to the ground. His knees are level with his chest and all he can do is to focus on the man currently moving aimlessly around the small trailer kitchen._

"_Do you take milk. I know..I know you told me last time but my memory isn't..isn't so good." His father looks at him expectantly, waiting for an answer._

"_No, just black is fine." It's his third visit back although he's not sure if it he should count the last one on account of the fact that his dad had not let him into the trailer and he was forced to carry on a conversation through the locked door. Only giving up when the weather turned and all he could do was promise to come back._

"_Where's Ellie?" The same expectant look is on his dad's face and Chuck has to look away before answering, not wanting to see the disappointment there when he tells him._

"_She's busy, dad. Remember I told you she was a doctor, a resident? She just does not have the time." He has never been a good liar and even to his ears, his words sound false. He still does not understand how his brilliant dad who could have had any Computer Engineering chair in any of the top ten universities, ended up destitute and alone in a trailer, in the middle of nowhere._

"_No..no, I understand busy doctor…"His father stands there, coffee cup in hand. "Good for her…You're good too?" _

_If Chuck closes his eyes, he can imagine it's ten years ago and the answer to the question would have been so very different. "I'm ok." He really does not want to lie to him but he knows that his dad's just not all there anymore. The last time, his dad had refused him entry because he said that he was being watched and could not afford to involve his son. He had rambled on for an hour about people watching him and tapping his phone line. It had been both unsettling and sad for Chuck to realize that his dad was not the man he remembered; that he had thrown away his family and wasted his potential to live like a hermit._

"_If you weren't though, I mean if something weird happens, something you couldn't explain, you'd tell me?" His father is looking straight at him, his posture no longer slumping, and his gaze intense. "If you experienced something that you have no idea how to deal with and want to turn for help, you'll come here?" It's as if Stephen Bartowski had morphed into another person, someone with direction and purpose. His dad's voice is steady and his eyes clear and Chuck understands that perhaps not everything can be easily explained._

_Chuck swallows but does not break the gaze as he slowly nods, "Ok, I will." It's not a promise in his mind and he knows he will forget it just like his father has forgotten about his coffee preference, but still the encounter is so different that he files it away, knowing he will eventually have to think about it._

_**Port Townsend, Washington State, 1**__**1.23am, 23**__**rd**__** May, 1996**_

"_They won't miss the money, Darlin." He's realized that she's growing up and his excuses do not hold water any more. Gone are the days where he can bribe her with ice-cream cones and dolls. Now, all he has left is to appeal to her loyalty to him and to the fact that some people really deserved to be victims. He knows she'll leave him eventually and hopes that it'll be for something better, something that is worthy of her._

_It's always been the excuse he has given her and one, which she had always accepted without question. The problem is that she's older now, not a little girl missing her mom and clinging onto the only family she had ever known. She cannot continue to reconcile her loving father with his thieving ways any longer and furthermore, she cannot continue to support him in good conscience. "They're good people. Sam's a nice guy and his family donates as much money as they can to charity every year." She knows that he can hear the plea in her voice and she hopes he will finally listen._

_He hears her voice go soft at the mention of the boy's name and thinks perhaps that's it; that his little girl is on her way to losing her heart for the first time. "He's no good for you, Darlin. No one's ever going to be." He smiles when he sees her blush and turn away. He does mean it though although he hopes that he will be proven wrong._

"_Daddy, it isn't like that. Sam's smart and nice and he doesn't believe the others when they talk about us like we're white trash." She has never felt ashamed of the way she dressed or spoke although it hurt when people would point and snicker._

_He can see, really see how beautiful she's going to be and he hopes that she will find someone truly worthy of her; someone so unlike and removed from him. He had loved her mother so much and had tried to change for her but when she died, he had really lost his will and reverted back to what was easy and wrong."I am sorry you know, for not raising you right. Although you still turned out mighty fine." He sees her look up, her eyes bright with tears. "I'm gonna need a few more jobs if I'm gonna retire."_

"_Ok." She wonders if she'll really ever find someone who would see her, really see who she is and not judge her by her appearance or job. She hopes that it'll eventually happen and that she'll be able to recognize that person too. "Can I at least say goodbye to Sam?" She knows the answer but asks anyway, just in case._

_Her father shakes his head as he pulls her into an embrace, "I promise there will be someone just for you, someone who will love you because of who you are, not in spite of it." She nods into his chest and he can feels her tears soak his shirt and wishes that he had the courage to let her go and not taint her with his past sins. He hopes that he'll be able to do that soon._

**Pacific Coast Highway, 11.32pm, 29****th**** March 2009**

The road is quite empty although Chuck's always been a careful driver and he tends to keep within the speed limit. He notes though that Sarah's not quite that patient and has been looking at the speedometer and rolling her eyes. At least she has the decency to not say anything out loud. He has to keep reminding himself that she is a professional spy and that she could kill him relatively easily and quickly and probably know where to hide his body where it'll never be found. It's difficult to reconcile that thought when she's sitting next to him, dressed in Ellie's casual clothes and looking like the quintessential California girl, the ones he never ever had the courage to talk to. "I don't like driving fast." He knows she's probably not interested in his idiosyncrasies but they have a long drive ahead and he does not want to give her any reasons to shoot him.

"Hmm." Sarah is trying to think of what she needs to do to gain his full trust and knows that grumbling about his granny-like driving tendencies would not be a good place to start. And even though she's a great liar, she does not think her skills are that good to convince him that she does not mind taking the slowest drive in recent history, so she goes with her patented non-answer.

"When Ellie and I were kids, my dad use to drive us to Stanford for picnics and games and my mom use to tell us stories while we fought and complained the whole way. All I wanted then was to get there as quickly as possible, not look out the window at the view or enjoy the company. I though the end was important and not the journey." He's never told anyone that before, not even Morgan and he's amazed that he's sharing it now. He does not expect her to say anything and reaches out to switch on the radio only to have her hand stop his.

"My dad thought it was a good skill to have so I learnt to drive when I was twelve as soon as I could reach the pedals. I use to have to really stretch my legs to press down and eventually, it kind of became instinct to just press down on the accelerator in whatever car I drove." He's looking at her, a small smile on his face and she cannot help but smile back. She wonders if he knows how infectious his smile is as she answers in reply, "I like the journey too." Sarah realizes that she's actually still holding his hand and finally releases it.

Chuck focuses back on the road, his foot slowly pressing down on the accelerator, wondering what exactly had just happened. He knows that he's actually shared something personal and it would seem like Sarah had too. Unfortunately, he's also been privy to her psych profile and knows that she's been trained in gaining the confidence of her targets by whatever means necessary and Chuck knows that someone as beautiful as she is would have never given him the time of day if she did not want something from him. He just needs to get her access to George's server to get the information she needs and hopefully he would have seen the last of her. Then he could at least try and figure out what to do with the information in his head. He's not really sure if he should actually reconsider calling his dad but this incident is as weird as one could get and maybe, just maybe his dad really could help and right now, he really did not have anyone else to turn to or any other ideas.

Sarah can see that he's deep in thought although at least he's actually driving closer to the speed limit. She finally turns on the radio and hums to a song she just barely recognizes. If Bryce was there, he would have made fun of the fact that she has no appreciation of music, popular or otherwise. She knows now that she will never had the chance to correct his false notion about that. She wished that she had told him about really liking classical music and some country but not the regurgitated pop songs that sound so familiar to each other. She shifts in her seat and only then feels her leg and side protest and winces in response, careful to not make any sound.

"Ellie says you should take another pill soon." He had to promise Ellie that he would make Sarah take her meds and only then did his sister allow them to leave. Even so, she had send him a message to remind him as well as to caution him that she still thought that Sarah was dangerous and if he was adamant in helping her, he should do it as quickly as possible and not get involved anymore than he needed to.

Sarah nods, surprised that he had noticed and that Ellie was such a professional doctor. She could see that his sister had not liked her presence and was also doubtful of her intentions towards her brother. Yet, she had been cared for, her wounds dressed and clothes and food were provided without question, all because Chuck had vouched for her. "Thank you." Her hand briefly touches his as he shifts into a higher gear. "For helping me when I was hurt and with finding Fleming's papers." She looks at his profile and has to fight back the urge to touch his hand again. She's not used to craving a simple physical connection and the current need confuses her tremendously.

"You're welcome. You might as well get some sleep and I'll wake you in a few hours." He can still feel the slight warmth of her hand where she had touched him and he wishes that the situation was different. That he does not have a secret that could get him killed and that she was not the agent that could kill him.

**Barron Park, ****University South, 5.30am, Palo Alto 30****th**** March 2009**

The house is dark and quiet but Jill can see that it's been lovingly restored and lived in, unlike her apartment in Manhattan. Her cane accidentally knocks over a picture on the side table and she has trouble bending down to pick it up but eventually succeeds. She's astonished to see that it's a picture of her and Chuck in her second year. He had been her tutor for her psychology classes and it was just before he had introduced her to Bryce. She had always thought that he was just working up the courage to ask her out and had been surprised when he didn't and even more so when he introduced her to Bryce and did not say anything when Bryce had asked her out.

She cannot remember what it felt like to be truly happy or carefree and currently, the only thing she is sure of is the fact that turning over Chuck to Fulcrum would be a good start in trying to reclaim any feelings on her part. She had managed to trace Mauser's last known location to the local hospital and then nothing except for the damaged tracer from his car found in the parking lot. She used her Medical rep cover to get into the hospital and managed to seduce the night security guard there into showing her some of the hospital camera footage but they were of little use, only confirming that Mauser had indeed entered the hospital but no images of him leaving. At least she could confirm to Leader that Mauser had indeed disappeared, no doubt taken from the hospital premises against his will and his car disposed of.

Jill hears the engine of a car outside and slowly peers out the window. She's surprised to see that it's not Chuck but a man with a decidedly military bearing. He's wearing civilian clothes but his walk and demeanor screams military, as does his gun, which he holds at his side. She's very sure he's not Fulcrum, which decidedly makes him the enemy. However, he's not her target today and she knows she does not have the time to dispose of his body so she does the smart thing and quietly leaves through the kitchen door, into the back yard as she hears him trying to pick the front door lock. She slowly walks around the low back yard fencing and makes her way over to the adjacent property where she had parked her car. She had lucked out to find that the neighbors next door were on some kind of retreat when she broke in earlier. Still, it does take her a bit longer to make it to her car and finally enter it. Her disability does slow her down somewhat and not for the first time does she feel that her life has not been her own since Bryce and Chuck got her kicked out.

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Casey normally flew military every chance he got but due to secrecy surrounding this mission, he had opted to go commercial which really did not help his mood. He still had not had his first cup of coffee and all he really wants to do now is to grab the Professor and haul him over to Travis Air force base as soon as he can. Unfortunately, luck is still not on his side as the house looks empty, no cars parked in the driveway and the yesterday's mail and paper still strewn on the front porch.

He wonders if Walker is skulking around somewhere and does not put it pass her as he scans the street before him. Nothing seems amiss and he decides to check the house out as well, just in case. He has some trouble with picking the lock but finally hears the tumblers clicking into place as he finally manages to open the door. He ignores the neat living room and kitchen and heads straight for the study, knowing that it's the most likely place for him to find something relating to the work done by the professor. He notes the stale vomit on the rug there and the fact that the computer is in sleep mode and attached to a portable hard disk.

The fact that the Professor seems to have been working recently but had not had time to clean up the mess in his otherwise pristine house, gives more credence to Casey's current working theory. He has a nagging suspicion that the minute Fleming was murdered, a chain reaction was set that activated both Fulcrum and the CIA and by the looks of it, Professor Charles Bartowski was mixed up in it as well. As far as he could tell though, the Professor was due on campus in the late morning for a meeting with the Dean which he had nicely called to confirm late yesterday so Casey knows he has a small window of opportunity to grab him and interrogate him at his leisure someplace else. He rifles through the papers on the table and notices the initials, GF, marked at the bottom left hand corner of the hard disk. He knows it's probably too much to hope that it would be filled with information pertaining to the Intersect project but he pockets it anyway.

He glances at his watch and knows that he has a few hours to kill and pancakes and strong coffee would definitely hit the spot. He goes out the front door, whistling as he bounds down the steps towards his car. The sun's slowly rising and he can see that it's going to be another pleasant day for him although he's quite sure that Professor Charles Bartowski is not going to feel the same way. He takes out his cell phone to check in and inform General Beckman about the disk drive and to confirm that he is more than sure about Professor's Bartowski's involvement. He's counting on the fact that she'll tell Graham and that would draw Walker out.

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The sun's just about to rise as Chuck exits the highway. Sarah's been up for the past half an hour although she's been silent the whole time, staring out the window.

"Do you mind if we stop by my place first? I think I could use a shower and I know the Dean would definitely appreciate it." He sees her smile reflected off the car window and takes it as a yes.

"How do we access Fleming's server." Sarah does not want to appear too anxious but her time is fast running out and she needs more answers than questions although those are piling up rather quickly.

"We can actually access it from almost anywhere." His answer finally causing her to sit up and look at him, surprise and anger reflected on her face, causing Chuck to quickly backtrack and finish his sentence. "If we had his password."

"So how do we get his password?" She's quite amazed at how quickly they have been using "we" in most of their sentences but it just seemed natural. She realizes why Bryce had gravitated towards Chuck during college and the past two days have proven that he's really a good guy that should not in any way be caught up in this mess. Sarah promises herself that as soon as she gets the list and finds Fleming's Intersect prototype, she'll call Graham and request that Chuck and his sister be put under CIA protection for the short term. She does not want to disrupt their lives and knows that it will be an unorthodox request but one that Graham will acquiesce to if she manages to get them back onto the Intersect project.

"Remember George being a luddite?" He smiles at her in turn when he sees her nod. "He writes everything down, no password keepers or electronic locks. In order to maintain some level of security, he uses a cipher and he writes his codes on the whiteboard in his office which he nicknamed Bletchley P"

"Park" Sarah finishes for him, knowing of the Allied forces code breaking history and wanting to show off just a bit. She's never really met someone like Chuck; someone who was just inherently good and guided by his conscience. Most of all though, she's attracted to the fact that he's smart and funny and so removed from her world. And unfortunately, it is the fact that he's not involved in her world, which will eventually mean that she'll have to never see him again, at least not in the capacity she would like.

"Smart and beautiful." The words are out before he realizes what he had just said and he can tell that the blush has made the tips of his ears red. However, the hearty laugh it elicits from her does put him at ease again as does her bashful thanks. He signals to turn at the crossroads ahead and finally turns into his street. Chuck's still distracted by Sarah that he does not notice nor question the blue BMW parked in Mrs. Henderson's driveway. He's still unsure of Sarah's motivations even though she's been saying all the right things, he cannot get over the fact that he knows that she's trained to gain trust and to do her job whatever it may be.

He pulls into his own driveway and finally alights, stretching his lanky body as he hears his joints pop in protest. It's only then that he realizes that if he feels this bad, Sarah must be feeling worse as he rushes to her side of the car, just in time to help her out. "Here, let me." He offers his hand for support as it's ingrained in his nature to be helpful.

It's a cool morning and Sarah's glad that Ellie had loaned her a hoodie. She's not really surprised at Chuck's chivalry though as she holds onto his hand and slowly maneuvers out of the car. Her leg is actually not throbbing as much and the pill he made her take has reduced the rest of the pain to a dull ache. She likes the feel of his hand as he guides her out, squeezing her palm lightly as his thumb grazes the top of her hand. "Thanks, I could get use to this." She does not let go of his hand as she looks up at him, the early morning sun framing his curly hair. It's then that she suddenly feels vulnerable for the first time in her life. It's a completely unfamiliar feeling but one that hits her hard as she takes a breath in and looks away, finally letting go of his hand.

The minute Jill had spotted the car drive up, she had kept out of sight, just gathering information and waiting for the opportune time. She sees Chuck exit the car and can't help but notice that time has been good to him. His hair is still a curly mess but his shoulders are slightly broader and even from this distance, she can see that his smile is still undimmed. She looks on as he helps a blond woman out of the passenger seat and Jill can't help but notice that they look like a couple. She makes a quick decision to change her tactic as she sees Chuck hold the woman's hand as he helps her out of the car.

Jill slowly exits her car and walks down the sidewalk towards the newly arrived couple. The noise of her cane scraping along the sidewalk finally alerting Chuck to her presence and she can see the different emotions fly across his expressive features; recognition and shock mixed with a final shot of sympathy as he notes her cane and prominent limp. She does not like such naked emotions that she looks away and at last sees the face of his companion. The Flash that hits her is causes her the usual amount of discomfort as the images scroll through her mind while the pain travels down her spine, only stopping at the deaden nerves in her right leg. She's so used to it that it does not even cause her pause.

"Hey Chuck." Jill finally looks at him, a small smile on her face although her hand is holding on to her cane so tightly that she knows that if she does not ease off, she'll break skin. She hates these Flashes because she knows that they are killing her, each one slowly deteriorating her nerves and visual cortex. Although their presence is so ingrained in her that she's learnt to cope by compartmentalizing the information almost immediately to carry out any task at hand. It's what she's been trained to do for the past six years and she has had no other choice.

Right now, Jill knows that she needs to get Chuck away from the blond CIA agent and like all CIA operatives she's known, whatever relationship the woman may have forged with Chuck, it would be build on some lies which she could exploit. "Sorry to startle you, I just got in on an early flight and wanted to see you before I lost my courage." She shrugs her shoulders for added effect and slowly walks towards him.

"Jill?" Chuck's thought about this moment so many times with so many different scenarios playing out in his head that he's currently rendered speechless at the fact that it's finally actually occurred. He's wanted to talk to Jill for over six years and it does not even occur to him that her appearance now should raise some suspicion on his part. All these thoughts do not cross him mind but they do cross Sarah's as she looks at the woman who had been Bryce's girlfriend and probably Chuck's college love. She hears the hope in Chuck's voice and surprisingly, it makes her feel more protective of him as she goes to stand next to him, not really touching him but ensuring that he knows she is there.

"You don't, I…" He shakes his head as if to clear it and notices that Sarah's standing next to him, her arms by her side but her stance, somewhat protective as she looks directly at Jill. "Did you come to see me?" He cannot hide the hope in his voice as he looks at her expectantly, wanting to ask about her injury but not wanting to scare her off either.

Jill notes the hope in his voice and realizes that her job may not be as difficult as she had initially envisioned. The only thing standing in her way, literally, is the CIA agent. "I'm a medical sales rep now and I have a contract to fill at the University hospital. I found out you were still at Stanford and thought…" She purposely trails off appearing a bit disconcerted and shy. "Well I thought perhaps enough time had passed and perhaps we could catch up." She looks hesitant, her head bowed.

"Yeah, definitely, I…We should catch up." Chuck takes a step forward, wanting to offer some type of comfort but not knowing how it will be received. He sees Jill finally raise her head and smile at him and it finally gives him impetus to hug her.

Jill does not close her eyes as she leans into the hug and can see that the blond agent is quietly assessing the situation, her demeanor not giving away anything but her eyes not wavering from Jill's face. "Umm, Chuck..maybe you need to introduce me." Jill smiles at Sarah Walker for the first time, already knowing her name and CIA alias as well as the fact that she was the one who had ended up partnered with Bryce and that Fulcrum has a bounty on her head. Jill knows that she could kill Sarah right now but the problem was that it would probably not endear her to Chuck and that was her main mission. Killing Sarah later would just be a bonus.

Chuck disentangles himself from the embrace but still holds onto Jill as he turns to face Sarah, not really sure what to expect when he notes that she's been silent through this whole encounter. "Sarah, this is Jill. She's an old friend from college."

"Hi, I'm Chuck's friend, Sarah." She does not over-emphasize any of the words but her eyes flick to Chuck when she uses his name. She notes Jill's cane and can see that although her leg is free from scars, it would seem to have sustained nerve damage to render it semi paralyzed. Her handshake though is quite firm and Sarah sees that her other hand is still round Chuck's waist.

"So, we were just going inside, umm to have some breakfast, take a shower." He sees Jill's eyebrows rise in question and realizes her possible assumption about Sarah but does not really know what to say.

"Actually, Chuck, maybe you can catch up with Jill now, I'm going to run that errand on campus and will meet you back here in an hour?" She looks at Chuck hoping he understands her plan and plays along. All her instincts are telling her not to trust Jill but she can also see that Chuck somehow does and she knows she cannot change his mind without any proof. She sees him look at her with a curious expression on his face, which morphs into understanding as she gives him a rueful smile.

"Ok, I will see you back here in an hour." Chuck's voice is emphatic as he realizes that he still owes Sarah for saving his life and that although she needs access to Fleming's computer, she was still giving him the space he needed to talk to Jill. Maybe she could divine how important this was to him and because of that was giving him time and space. "Here take this." He hands her, his cell phone, hoping that she sees it as a gesture that he does want her to return so that he can help her. She takes it and he sees her walk slowly back to the car and waits in the driveway until she reverses out and drives away.

"Chuck, you can't trust her." Jill knows that she could have just overpowered Chuck and taken him back but it would have triggered a CIA alert within the hour and she could not guarantee that she would finish the mission by then. Her only avenue was to convince Chuck to go with her willingly and also then make the call to Sarah to divert her attention. She sees his incredulous expression as he finally looks at her. "She's not who you think she is." Before he can say anything, Jill brings up the one argument she knows he will not have an answer to. "You may or may not know that she's CIA, but even if you do, you have to know that she's a trained assassin and that people she ends up with all have a target on their back and end up dead. Like Bryce." It was a gamble on her part but she's pretty sure that whatever information Sarah had given to Chuck, it would only allude to Bryce's death.

"What?... How? But Bryce was her partner, he died…" He let's the words trail off, trying to think back to what Sarah had actually told him. She had told him that Bryce had died and he had assumed that Bryce had been killed during a mission. Jill was inferring that Sarah may have had a hand in his death and even more unsettling, the fact that Jill also knew about Sarah made her suspect as well. "How do you know all this?" His voice finally taking on a hard quality as he stares at her, wishing for once that he could automatically access whatever information in his brain in order to get some answers.

Jill has always known how much Chuck values the truth and uses it now. "I work for a secret organization known as Fulcrum. We're tasked with weeding out rogue CIA operatives who have stolen top-secret information relating to a project. I can't…Chuck, I don't want to tell you more because I don't want to put you in more danger." She touches his cheek and looks into his eyes. "I've known you've always had feelings for me and you were trying to do the right thing in college. It's taken me a long time to realize that. I know the type of man you are and the fact that you would never hurt me on purpose. That's why I'm here. I don't want you to get hurt either." She can see the indecision there as she closes the distance between them and kisses him lightly on the lips. She feels his arms circle around as she pulls him closer, her cane finally dropping by the side.

This was the end scenario that he had always expected when he finally met Jill. Not the information about secret organizations or high level government projects but just her realizing that he never wanted to hurt her and that he had always carried a torch for her.

**Jordan Hall, Stanford, 7.****12 am 30****th**** March 2009**

Sarah parks the car but does not exit as she just holds on to the steering wheel, her mind still thinking about the choice she had just made. Jill's sudden appearance and her connection to Bryce and Chuck were just too coincidental. She finally makes up her mind and takes out Chuck's cell. "Walker Secure, Project Sandwall."

"Sarah, where are you?" Graham's question catches her by surprise. He had just got off the phone with Beckman and the information he received does not sit well with him. Her pause in answering his question just confirms his suspicion, "Bring in Professor Bartowski." The order in his voice is no longer implied.

"Graham, I..What did Mauser say?" She's not sure what's prompting Graham's decision but she needs his help. "We need to ask him about Jill Roberts. She knew Bryce and she's just turned up here." She does not want to tell Graham about Chuck just yet, hoping that she'll get the chance to present his case separately and ensure that he and his sister get whatever protection they need.

"Agent Walker, perhaps you did not hear me. I know you will make or have made contact with Professor Bartowski since Professor Fleming is dead. The NSA has already dispatched someone to bring him in. Sarah, if you know where he is, I would strongly advise that you bring him in first. We cannot afford a turf war on this. They want him for questioning and have already received the go ahead for his detention." She listens to his words and only then finally understands their meaning. Somehow, the NSA has identified Chuck as a Person of Interest and would detain him regardless of whether he knew anything.

"He's just a normal guy that's mixed up in our world not through his own doing. Graham, we need to protect him not hand him over. He's willing to help us and I won't give him over to be interrogated like he's done something wrong." She quickly exits the car and enters the building, wanting to retrieve Fleming's codes and get back to Chuck as soon as possible. "He's Bryce's friend, Graham, not the enemy and he saved my life." She waits for Graham's response as she makes her way down the brightly lit hallway towards Fleming's office. The door is secured but it does not stop her from picking the lock and quietly entering the dark office.

"Sarah, Casey's already there. He's going to go after you if you stand in his way." She hears Graham sigh and knows that he's contemplating giving her an order and she prays that it will be one that she can obey.

"I'll find out about this Jill Roberts but you will need to bring him in, in the next forty eight hours regardless of whether you've got what you're looking for. Good Luck." Graham hangs up wishing that things were different and that he could offer Sarah more help. However, he has already done more than he is comfortable with and its up to her to elude Casey and get what she needs.

Sarah uses the camera on her phone to take pictures of the codes on the whiteboard, represented by symbols and numbers that do not appear to be in any particular order. For good measure, she erases the board and locks the door on her way out. She keeps a look out for anything suspicious but cannot discern anything out of the ordinary. However, she does not check the car and therefore does not notice the small tracer placed on the under-carriage.

Casey watches as she drives away, knowing that he does not need to follow her that closely and that odds were that she was going to make contact with Bartowski again. He had managed to overhear some of her conversation with the shotgun microphone he had with him. He throws away his disposable coffee cup and walks to his car parked at the furthest corner. He takes out a smoke grenade and one of his larger guns from his trunk, knowing that he cannot underestimate Sarah Walker in anyway and he'll probably have to take her down to get to the Professor as she had already made her intentions to Graham quite clear as to where she stood in relation to her view of Bartowski.

**The End**

**So Discussions point for this Chapter are**

**A) A Chill kiss instead of Charah, How could you jomarch! Discuss**

**B) Jill's an Intersect too. Is there anyone in this universe that is NOT an Intersect. Discuss.**

**C) Stephen Bartowski, Fulcrum or CIA? Discuss**

**D) You can really stop with the polls since I will review regarless :)**


	7. A Little Knowledge

**A/N - I guess this is my turning point chapter where things start to clear up (a bit). Not sure if everyone is still reading and enjoying it although I hope that you are. Also, I am in need of a beta so if you're enjoying the story and want to help with my lack of comma usage, bad spelling et al, please pm me.**

**The Inevitable Life of Chuck Bartowski**

**Chapter 7 A Little Knowledge**

**Barron Park, University South, 7.32 am, Palo Alto 30****th**** March 2009**

Chuck finally pulls out of the kiss surprised by the fact that it had lasted that long. He does not say anything as he picks up her cane, hands it to her and walks towards his house. He opens the door and waits for her to enter before following her in. He cannot think beyond a quick shower and perhaps some food but knows he has to make a choice relatively quickly considering that Sarah was due back in about twenty minutes. He really does not know Sarah except for the fact that she is a trained CIA assassin who could have very well killed Bryce. But likewise, he has not seen Jill for six years and when she finally turns up, its to tell him about secret cabals and projects and to kiss him. He knows that Fulcrum is a secret cabal with CIA links and Sandwall is a code mission name for catching rogue CIA agents. The issue though is that only one faction can be good and right now, he's not sure if it's Fulcrum and Jill or Sandwall and Sarah.

"I need to have a quick shower." He wants the time to get things clear in his head, "You can grab something from the kitchen and I'll be back soon."

"Chuck, we need to leave before Sarah returns. You need to call her and stall for a bit so we have time." Jill can see him wavering, "She'll kill me too if she knew." The tears in her eyes are real although the reason behind them is anything but. Jill knows that she cannot fail in bringing Chuck back and that she would suffer further if she didn't.

"Knew what? How do I know you're telling the truth?" Chuck stifles his impulse to wipe away her tears.

"That I was trying to warn you. Chuck, you have to believe me. I don't want to hurt you." She sounds so sincere but Sarah's similar words also echo in his mind as he looks at Jill. "Just come with me and I'll prove it." Jill extends her hand towards him and waits. She does not want to have to subdue Chuck but she knows that if he does not agree to go with her soon, it would be her only choice.

Chuck looks at her extended hand and wants to take it but something still holds him back. He cannot define what exactly makes him hesitate but his thoughts are still centred on Sarah's words to him. It's the sound of a car screeching into his driveway that finally spurs Jill on, as she grabs for his hand and pulls him towards the window. They see Sarah emerge from the car with her gun drawn and her face set.

"We need to go." The urgency in Jill's voice is apparent as she again pulls Chuck towards the kitchen. He's unsure as he stands there and she turns to his hand in hers, while her other hand places a small tracer in his coat pocket. He finally relents and does not resist as much as she thought he would and it gives her impetus to move faster despite her cane.

"Chuck" Sarah calls out as she rushes into the house. Graham had called just minutes before, alerting her that Mauser had not admitted to knowing any Jill Roberts but that her travel history showed her getting into San Francisco the night before. It was enough of a lie to make her suspicious and rush back to the house. She sees Jill and Chuck near the kitchen entrance and holds her gun up targeting Jill. "Chuck, I need you to come towards me." She does not want to freak him out but can see that it's a bit too late as his eyes go wide when he sees her gun and he looks back at Jill and then at her.

Jill knows the consequences of failing this mission and finally pulls out her gun as she stands slightly behind Chuck. "Chuck we have to go. I told you this would happen." She can see the confusion in Sarah's face and uses it to again pull Chuck backwards towards the door while not giving Sarah a clean shot.

The smoke grenade that crashes through the window followed by a gunshot, is enough of a welcome distraction for Sarah to launch herself towards Chuck, catching him in his middle and rolling the both of them towards the staircase and away from a startled Jill. The room begins to fill with smoke and Sarah pushes Chuck down, her body covering his as the windows break around them, bullets and glass flying everywhere. Sarah's almost sure that Jill's as surprised as she is, with the attack from outside which meant that it was most probably NSA.

Jill crouches down, unfazed as she looks towards the staircase. She sees Chuck, his hands covering his head and Sarah's body covering his, her gun pointed towards the bay window as she fires off a few wild shots. Jill knows that this is the best chance she'll have to take Sarah out now that she was distracted with protecting Chuck and firing at the new intruder. She raises her gun, barrel targeting Sarah's head and it's only then that she sees that Chuck's head is turned in her direction and despite the smoke, she knows that he has seen her targeting Sarah.

Chuck can feel Sarah's weight on him as he tries to catch his breath. She had tackled him to the floor and even now was using her body to cover his. He slowly turns his head to look for Jill and what he sees confuses him further as he notes Jill's gun pointing at Sarah. It's then that his instincts take over and he rolls back, exposing his chest and using his body to block Sarah's, sending her tumbling off him.

Sarah knows that it has to be Casey shooting the place up, wanting to make a point and ensuring that she runs out of ammo thus making their capture relatively easy. She does not want to give him the satisfaction though as she stops shooting. She does not expect Chuck to move and when he does, she tumbles to the floor but does not lose her grip on her gun. It's only when she hears his voice calling does she understand what he has done. "No Jill, don't shoot her."

Jill's tempted to just shoot through Chuck knowing that at least he'll also be incapacitated thus making it easier to transport him back. However, with her injury, she would not be a match for whoever was currently attacking them. Adding to that, the stinging smoke from the grenade is already impairing her vision and her breathing. She knows that by leaving, she'll not have a chance to convince Chuck of her good intentions but the alternative of staying and dying was also not acceptable. She takes aim and shoots the banister nearest Chuck's head causing both Sarah and him to duck once again. It's then that she rolls towards the kitchen, finally getting on her feet and limping towards the back door. She can hear the continuous gunfire from outside and knows that she'll have just enough time to get to her car and drive away before the police arrive or the assailant enters the house.

Chuck reaches for Sarah's hand, not giving her explanation just pulling her along as he crawls on the floor towards the basement door. "There's a window leading to the back of the house." He coughs and has to fight the urge to rub his eyes, which are already watering due to the smoke. He sees her nod and takes the lead as she stretches up to open the door. Her hand is streaked with blood most likely due to the glass splinters and Chuck's pretty sure that his limbs haven't fared much better. As soon as the door is open, Sarah rushes in pulling Chuck behind her such that he almost stumbles down the stairs. She's a blur of movement as she runs towards the window and has it open in record time. She climbs out the window and offers him her hand to help him. Her eyes and lungs are burning but she does not pay them any heed. "You need to get to your car and stay there. If I'm not there is five minutes, I need you to drive away. Do you have a place to go where no one else knows about?" She's looking directly into his eyes and waits for an answer. He can tell that she's worried even though she's doing her best to hide her emotions.

Chuck pushes himself out the window, never breaking his gaze with Sarah. "What are you going to do?" He knows that there is more than a tinge of worry coloring his voice and unlike her, he does not want to hide it.

"I'm going to try and take whoever is shooting at us, out. Stay in your car and drive off after five minutes if I'm not there, ok?" She holds his hand, tightening her grip as she relays her instructions again. She's surprised that he does not let her hand go as she loosens her grip.

"Be careful." Chuck wants to tell her more. In fact, he wants to tell her to come back to him although he does not have the words or the courage to say anything else. He sees her nod, a determined expression on her face as she holds her gun and shadows the wall of the house going round to the front. Chuck waits until she turns the corner before going to the garage where his car is parked. He gets into the driver's side and waits, his eyes locked on the dashboard clock.

Sarah cannot hear any more gunfire and she can see that the smoke grenade had done its job, engulfing the whole lower floor of the house with noxious fumes. She sees Casey through the window, a gas mask on his face and his Sig Sauer P229 held firmly in both hands as he surveys the kitchen entrance. She sees that he's also wearing a vest and knows that her best bet is to take him by surprise and shoot him in the back. She does not want to kill him but knows that it would stun him and probably giver her enough time to render him unconscious. Sarah removes her hoodie, quickly wets it with the small hose at the side of the house and places it around her head.

The door is slightly ajar and she barrels in, firing off three shots in a row. The smoke is thick and billowing, smarting her eyes but she still notes that her shots have hit their target as Casey falls to his knees. She runs towards him, her arms go around his neck as she presses down on his windpipe. He jerks backwards, almost sending her off her feet and Sarah tightens her hold even more. She sees his gun hand flying at her and she does not flinch as the gun hits her temple. She knees him in the back and uses her gun to hit him at the side of his head, which finally does the job as Casey slumps forward. Sarah does not waste anytime as she rips off his gas mask and puts it on. She grabs his gun, phone, car keys and a small disk drive from his pockets. Knowing that they'll need all the time they could get, she drags his body to the radiator in the corner and cuffs him to it.

She knows that it's been more than five minutes and that she'll need to take Casey car to find Chuck. She rips the mask from her face, as she finally rushes out of the door and straight into Chuck. "What are you doing?" Her voice is tight and controlled and she stops herself from shouting when she hears the sirens in the background and sees that he's holding a bat in his hands. "I thought I told you to stay in the car."

Chuck's so relieved to see her relatively unhurt that he ignores her dark look. "You also told me to drive off if you weren't back in five minutes and it's been six." He replies indignantly, only just realizing that it's not really helping his case as he finally blurts out, "I wanted to help you."

Sarah's taken aback at his comments but knows that she does not have the time or luxury to examine them right now as she again takes him by the hand and leads him to the garage. This time she gets into the driver's seat and quickly drives off even before he buckles himself in. She does not speed as she drives past the three speeding cop cars driving in the opposite direction. Only letting out the breath she has been holding when they turn into his house and she's already turning towards the highway.

"We need to get cleaned up and get access to a computer and I need to get a cell phone." She finally looks at him to see if he is ok.

Chuck nods, "Just take the highway and I'll direct you." He wants to ask if she's ok but can see her hands tightly holding the steering wheel and he knows that she's probably just focusing on driving and mapping out what she needs to do. He wants to ask her about the man in the house and most of all, he really wants to ask her if she's one of the good guys. She had saved him from Mauser and now he had saved her from Jill. The problem was that he still did not know if he eventually would need to be saved from her.

_**Jordan Hall Library, Stanford, 5.56pm, 6**__**th**__** September 2000**_

"_It's really not that difficult, its just math and you're going need to ace the statistics paper if you want to maintain your GPA." Chuck's voice is encouraging as he touches Jill's hand thus making her look at him instead of pouting at the textbook. He's glad to see her smile and wonders not for the first time if she's also__ as interested in him as he is in her. He's been her tutor for a few months now and they've had meals and coffee together but only as friends and Chuck knows that he wants to take it to the next level._

"_How about we just skip the math and I'll drop psychology and concentrate on biochemistry." She doesn't really like Psychology to begin with and she also does not really like Professor Fleming. Chuck's been the only saving grace out of the whole sorry experience. If not for his tutoring she was sure that she would not have made it this far._

"_You said that your scholarship specifically said that you needed to take psychology so you really don't have much of a choice. Listen, you already got most of the concepts, you just need to apply it." He smiles at her, his hand still holding hers. "Umm, listen Jill, I was umm.."_

"_Hey Chuck, you coming to The 750 tonight?" Bryce's voice carries across the tables forcing Chuck to look up and release her hand. He shrugs in response, which prompts Bryce to come over to their table. "Sorry to intrude" He apologizes to the girl Chuck's been tutoring without really looking at her as he addresses Chuck. "Sorry buddy but the guys need you. It's game night and you're our go to guy for obscure sci fi lore."_

"_Yeah, sure. I need to finish up with Jill. Umm, sorry, Jill, this is my roommate Bryce. Bryce this is Jill." He doesn't really realize what he's done with the introduction, not knowing the regret will only come later._

"_Hi." Bryce finally looks at Jill and is stunned, not by her looks although she is quite beautiful but by the fact that he's seen her picture before. He had only recently been asked to join the CIA and he had caught a glimpse of her picture in his handler's file. "Listen, maybe you can join us later." He notes Chuck's curious expression but does not say anything else as he waves goodbye to the couple. He's not really sure what to do with the pieces of information he has, but knows that it would be better if he kept an eye on Jill._

"_So that was Bryce? Oh, sorry, you were going to say something?" Jill's heard Chuck mention him a couple of times and is surprised to see that he's just as cute as Chuck but in a different way._

"_Yeah, he's a really great guy and I was umm, I was just going to ask you to join us later at the 750." He knows, he just needs a bit more time and he'll ask her out. He's pretty sure he'll be able to work up the courage soon._

_**Kowloon, Hong Kong, 2.31am, 8**__**th**__** January 2002**_

_The bullet wound to her upper arm is relatively shallow although it's bleeding pretty badly. Sarah ties a quick tourniquet round her right bicep with part of her torn shirt and hopes that its enough to stop the blood flow as she waits in the small side street for Bryce. The gunmen had been an atrocious shot and she's quite sure that it was sheer luck on his part that one bullet ricochet off the wall and hit her. At least she managed to finish the mission and take possession of the briefcase although in the end, she had to kill the three men in pursuit of her. It's not her first kill although it is her first mass killing and she does not know how to deal with that right now._

_She sees a car stop at the mouth of the alley and she tenses, her hands in fists by her sides. It's only when Bryce emerges does she unclench her hands, reaches down to grab the briefcase and walk towards the car. She does not acknowledge his greeting as she gets in the car and leans into the seat, closing her eyes. He drives them to the safe house on Hong Kong Island, all the while her eyes are closed and she misses the spectacular view from the Peak. She only opens them when he finally pulls into a small driveway and cuts the engine._

"_Tough day?" Bryce can see that she's shivering and he offer his jacket only to have her rebuff it as she goes into the house. He settles into the one bedroom and does not see her until an hour later when she emerges from the bathroom, freshly showered and looking semi normal. _

_Sarah sees Bryce lounging on the bed but in her mind, all she can think off are the three men she had just killed. She approaches him and can see that he's waiting for her to say something but she does not trust herself to speak so she kisses him instead. She does like and respect him although she knows that what she wants is just to forget._

"_Sarah, no." He sounds so sad and regretful that it stops her cold. "I don't know what happened tonight but I do know that this is not what will help you forget." He sees her face fall and he feels like such an idiot. "I….This....You're a beautiful amazing woman …. and I'm an idiot for saying this but I don't want to be a distraction just for one night."_

_Sarah opens her mouth to protest but she realizes that he's not wrong and she ducks her head in embarrassment only to have him caress her cheek so that she looks his way._

"_You know you deserve someone really great right. Someone who will look out for you no matter what." Bryce hopes he's not lying to her and that they'll both be able to find people like that but he knows the odds are against them._

_**Upper East Side, Manhattan, 4.11am 23**__**rd**__** September 2006**_

"_Come back to bed." His voice is pleading but she chooses to ignore the tone as she continues to stare out of her apartment window. She knew that it couldn't last but it didn't stop her for tempting fate anyway. She really hates her life and what she has become but there is really not much she can do about it. "It's going to be light soon and I'll have to go." Vincent's tone moves from pleading to apologetic. _

"_We could just run. Bogotá, Singapore, any place but here." She does not look at him when she says this, knowing that he'll shake his head and that he will tell it's its impossible to leave Fulcrum. Worse yet, she knows that he actually likes the work; the challenge it provides. Vincent Smith is one of the best Fulcrum operatives out there and she knows that he'll never leave, not even for her._

"_Jill, I could request…" She does not let him finish the sentence as she cuts in. _

"_No, it's fine. I need to be here. My new assignment.." She has not yet told him about George Fleming or the possibility of a cure. Her right leg is slowly going numb but there's still time to reverse the process by either taking out the Intersect or upgrading it. Two things she knows that Fleming would be able to accomplish if given enough time. "You'll do well in California." She does not miss the state nor the memories she had there and hopes she'll never have to go back, as George will always fly to New York to check in._

"_You'll tell me if you need anything, if anything happens?" Vincent cannot understand why she does not embrace her gift. She's been treated extremely well due to the Intersect and although it started out as an assignment for him, he's begun to have real feelings for her and he does wish he could stay or that she could join him. Although he knows the way Fulcrum operates and that even if she came to California, he would not be able to see her, not unless it was sanctioned. They have all been tasked to work alone, even on the same missions. It kept them on their toes and more loyal than not._

_Jill walks towards the bed, her leg already giving her some problems but she ignores it as focuses on Vincent knowing that she'll only have the next hour or so before he leaves her indefinitely. She goes to her side table and takes out her Stanford class ring and gives it to him. "To remember me."_

**Buy More, Sunnyvale Strip Mall, 10.42am, 30****th**** March 2009**

Their new clothes are a bit stiff but that's the least of Chuck's concern. He can't help but keep looking over his shoulder, expecting bullets to fly or more people from his past to show up. He knows it's probably a bit like post traumatic stress disorder and he's only now dealing with all that has happened in the past few days. He does not realize he's been standing in entrance unmoving, until Sarah gently takes his hand, leading him towards the quieter part of the store.

"Are you ok?" The concern in her voice is evident. They had bought new clothes from the Largemart next door and managed to clean up in the bathroom. Sarah did a really good job covering up her new bruises on her face and if Chuck didn't know any better, he'd think that she was fine. "I should be asking you that." He vaguely gestures to her face. "Everything's been this great blur and I'm not really use to the bullets and the killing." He lowers his voice on the word as he shudders.

Sarah is at a loss for words. She cannot really tell him that everything is going to be ok, knowing that she may have to take him in or worse yet, turn him over to the NSA. Neither option really appeals to her and she knows that she has to do something soon. "I'm fine and I know this is really all new to you but you're doing great. I just need you to get me access to Fleming's server." She hands him his phone as she walks towards the computer section. She knows that she'll have to make a decision soon and realizes that it's going to be one of the most difficult ones of her life.

Chuck looks at the pictures Sarah took and notes that Fleming really did go old school and was using a Vigenère cipher. Alphanumerical substitutions were not too difficult to decrypt and all Chuck really needs is use of a computer. He goes to the laptop section and quickly gets to work as Sarah distracts a green-shirted employee who is trying to entice her into buying a laptop on sale. He's so busy working on the code that he does not notice when she finally stands next to him.

"Chuck." His name sounds pretty good when she says it and no matter how engrossing the decryption process is, he ignores it, to look up at her. He can actually see the faint bruises underneath her makeup but it still does not detract from her beauty but more importantly, he's beginning to see pass that, to not just look at her face but to also gauge her mood and note her emotions as they play across her face. Right now, he can see that she's a bit anxious and he knows that that does not bode well.

Sarah knows she owes him an explanation of some kind and that he's been nothing but honest with her and she feels guilty for continuing to keep withholding part of the truth from him. "I wanted to thank you for saving my life at the house and to tell you that I'm sorry about Jill." She 's looking into his eyes and can see that he's afraid and she hopes that it's of the situation and not of her.

"I'm not sure what she told you and I can't really tell you more but I think Jill is part of Fulc."

"Fulcrum. I know, she said as much and that you were responsible for Bryce's death." He sees her flinch at his words and for once, she does not turn away as her eyes shimmer with tears. His hand is up and almost touches her face but she does not let them fall though, instead just blinking them away.

"I couldn't save him. Not from the Intersect and not from the bullets." She only realizes what she had said when Chuck's eyes go wide. It's not a slip per se as she knows that it was going to develop this way the minute Graham told her about Chuck's detention order. She needs him to understand that he has to disappear, not because of what he knows but because of what the NSA and Fulcrum thinks he does. For that, she at least owes him the full story.

"What's the Intersect?" His voice is surprisingly calm although he knows that she's just confirmed his worst fears. That the program in his head is something that people have died for, that Bryce died for and that he could be next.

"It's a program that allows for encoding of government secrets into the human mind, into Bryce's mind. Fleming worked on a list of people who could be candidates and I need to find that list." She's going by instinct now more than anything else. He had saved her again at his house and she knows that she can trust him, that he has not kept anything from her.

"So this program, this Intersect, there's more than one?" He hopes that her answer will save him.

Sarah's surprised at his question and the fact that he hasn't even questioned the validity of such a program. "Right now, we have one." She's still an agent and therefore cannot tell him about Fleming's possible prototype.

"We?" He knows she does not mean the two of them but he asks the question just the same.

"Actually, the NSA. They have it and I need to get them a candidate to use it." She's finally told him everything he needs to know and given him context of his situation but now comes the difficult part. She had debated internally as to how to broach the subject and all she can discern since she had met him was the fact that he's a good man who would strive to do the right thing. "Chuck." His name sounds so familiar now on her lips and he seems to guess that she has something important to say as he turns fully away from the laptop and looks directly at her. "You may need to disappear for a while." She reaches up to hold his arm when she sees the shock from her words register on his face.

"I need time to fix this, to get the Intersect working and get you the protection you need but for the time being, do you have someplace to go. Somewhere that no one knows about?" Sarah knows that with Graham's help and possibly using up all the favors she had accumulated in her career, she would be able to barter a trade for Chuck's continued freedom.

Chuck can see that she's serious and for the first time is tempted to tell her of his Intersect. By her account, she needs one but the crux of the matter being that if they're already after him without knowing he has one, what would they do to him if they knew that he was in possession of one. He's beginning to feel uncomfortable with keeping that secret form Sarah but he knows that he still does not have the luxury to trust her completely, not when it's his life on the line and possibly Ellie's. Right now, though, he does have an answer to her question. "There is somewhere I could go but how long are we talking about?"

"A few days maybe a week or so." She's holding his hand now and to any onlooker, it would seem like they were a couple having a heart to heart conversation. "I'll do everything to ensure that you'll be fine." She sounds a lot more confident that she feels currently but she knows that it is a promise she has made and therefore would really try every conceivable avenue to ensure that he's safe.

"Ok, I trust you. I'm almost done with the code. Can you go and buy the biggest portable hard disk you can find. We're going to need to download the information somewhere." He thinks they've reached a tenuous understanding of some kind although her next response again puts him on the defensive as she removes Fleming's hard disk from her jacket pocket.

"Can you see what's on this and if you can use it?" She's distracted as she warily surveys the store, thus missing the shocked and frightened expression on Chuck's face. He's fairly certain that the disk was in his den and that Sarah didn't have time to go there during the fight this morning, which meant that she was still keeping information from him about how much she really knew. "I'll need to find a new car. Can you just stay here and work on this? How much time will you need?"

"Another ten or fifteen minutes." He takes the disk from her hands and gets back to the laptop; a new plan already forming in his mind. He sees her exit and he takes out his cell and dials a number he thought he would never use again. He hears it ringing at the other end and is still unsure of whether it would help although he's really desperate currently.

"Hello." The voice that answers is so tentative that Chuck's tempted to just hang up but he plows on anyway. "Dad, It's me, Chuck. Remember when you told me to tell you if anything weird occurred?" Even to his ears, he knows he sounds relatively stupid as he waits for an answer. He does not get one though as he hears his dad doing something in the background when suddenly various clicks and hisses are heard over the phone line, that he has to pull it away from his ear.

"Dad? Dad? Are you there?" He's about to hang up when he hears his father's voice, but not the tentative, crazy one he was used to though.

"Charles, first tell me if you're ok and then tell me about the incident." It's the voice he remembers from long ago and for once, he knows that he's done the right thing.

"I'm fine for now but there's something in my head, a program of some kind and I think that people are after it only I don't know how to get it out." He waits for his dad's response, hoping that he'll finally get the clarity he needs. He's always been good at multi-tasking and he continues to work on the code, wanting the distraction it provides.

"Listen Charles, I need you to come here immediately. I may be able to help you but you need to follow my instructions. I need you to get in your car and drive here right now, don't tell anyone or do anything else."

"What about Sarah? She's CIA, I think. I promised to help her. She said she'll help me too" Again, he hears clicks and hisses over the phone before his father's voice comes through.

"No, Charles, you need to get away from her. I don't know what she's told you but you can't trust anyone. If you have the Intersect, they'll take you in and never let you go." Stephen Bartowski had spent the past fourteen years planning for this scenario, all the while hoping that it would never come to pass. He had not wanted his past sins to ever taint his children but knew that no matter what he did, he could never fully escape from his past. The CIA would use Chuck to get to him just as much as Fulcrum would use him to get to his son. "I can help you, son. I can get it out. But I need you to trust me on this. Get away from her as soon as you can even if you need to incapacitate her. Charles, your life depends on this. Do you understand?"

Chuck can only nod as he sees Sarah enter the store again. "I'll see you soon. Thanks dad." He hangs up when he sees her walk towards him and he enters the decrypted code into the main Stanford faculty page and connects the disk drive to the laptop. "I'm almost there. Do you know which files or do you want them all?"

Sarah can see that he's more rattled than before but also notes that he's been attacked and shot at and probably finally acknowledging the shock of those encounters. "Can we look to see what he has?" She stands next to him, their shoulders touching such that he can feel the warmth of her skin. Chuck scrolls through Fleming's directories noting that there are pieces of his code saved there along with more mundane things like old letters and tax receipts.

"There." She points to a folder called Omaha. He opens it and sees that they are small video files each named after individuals and is not surprised to see Jill, Bryce and Sarah's names. "Chuck, can you give me a minute, I need to look at these." She wants to see if by some miracle, George would have been stupid enough to store the Intersect on his server and hopes that is the case.

"Ok, the files are being copied to the disk so you may not get access to everything. I'll walk around and see what I could have sunk to if I didn't get into Stanford." He sees the quizzical expression on her face and explains. "Ellie practically raised me and she was always so afraid I'd end up working in a Buy More because she had to study for her medical boards and couldn't always help me with my homework."

"I think you'd look cute in the white shirt and skinny tie though." Sarah knows its really not the best time to flirt but she can't help it. "We need to leave soon. I couldn't spot anything suspicious but Jill is still out there somewhere."

He can't get over the ease in which she switches from being normal back into her spy persona and it adds credence to his father's words that maybe he really can't trust anyone. He sees her look intently at the screen and knows that he has a window to leave her and get to his dad. He slowly walks towards the back of the store and its then that he looks straight at one of the shoppers and the now familiar sensation of the Intersect takes hold.

"Yellow Lava Lamp,

Military records of Vincent Smith,

Interrogation pictures,

Pictures of Jill,

Addresses of Fulcrum's California bases,

Aquarium,

Electrical wires,

Yellow Lava Lamp"

There is not much pain this time accompanying the download and he's getting more adept at analyzing the information, knowing at once that the man pretending to browse in the barbeque section is Fulcrum's West Coast Chief of Operations. Which meant that it wasn't a coincidence that he was here and that once again Sarah and him were in danger.

"Sarah, Fulcrum's here." He whispers urgently as he grabs the hard disk and her hand quickly leading her to the side entrance of the store. "We can try and copy the rest later, we need to go now." He puts the disk in his pocket.

Sarah looks around, finally spotting three suspicious characters and cursing internally that she had not paid enough attention in the past five minutes thus putting Chuck in danger once again. "Can you get to the car by yourself?" She does not want to leave him alone but she knows that he stands a better chance of survival if she can take the Fulcrum guys out. She pulls him down behind one of the large displays as she formulates her next move in her mind.

"What?" Chuck realizes that this is his chance to get away, from Sarah and from this mess although he's reluctant to just leave her considering that Vincent Smith does not have any qualms in fulfilling the kill order on Sarah. "He's dangerous."

Sarah looks at him askance, only now realizing that Chuck had recognized Fulcrum and wondering how he had done so. "How do you know?"

"Jill had a picture of them in her wallet. We were reminiscing." He's becoming more comfortable with the lies and less comfortable with the fact that she believes him so easily as he sees her nod and touches his arm.

"There are three of them and I need to lure them away from you. I can take them out but I can't look out for you and do that at the same time. Don't worry, I'm a professional." She's trying to temper her words, not wanting to scare him. "Just get in your car and drive away. I'll call you when I'm done. It'll be fine." She shows him her newly purchased cell phone.

His eyes are so expressive that she doesn't realize what she's doing until her lips touch his cheek and then moves up to his ear as she whispers, "Please, just go. I promise it'll be ok."

Neither the kiss nor her words propel him but it's her push that does it as she stands up and quickly sprints in the opposite direction. Chuck wants to follow her but his father's words echo in his mind and he crouches down and quickly uses the side exit. He runs to this car, not looking back and drives away. He exits the car park and turns left, intending to get on the highway, only, he does not filter right when he sees the sign, and instead, he drives and does a quick u-turn at the next traffic light.

Sarah's cornered between the Buy More and Largemart buildings as she frantically searches the pockets of the two men she had incapacitated. She's looking at the entrance noting that it'll only be a matter of time before the third man shows up. She's so intent on looking for car keys that she does not see him on the fire escape as he drops down on top of her. Her head hits the pavement with a thud and she sees her new phone fall out of her pocket. The fall disorients her but does not knock her out. She sees him take out a syringe and she grabs at his hand only to have him punch her in her stomach and plunge it into her arm. She's out even before he can remove it and does not register when he carries her towards his car.

Chuck frantically looks around the store and it's only when he goes outside does he see the two prone men on the ground. The problem though is that Sarah and Vincent are nowhere in sight and he gets even more worried as he sees her new phone on the ground. He's pretty sure that she's been captured and that he has a choice to make that could either put his life in more danger or could save him from further harm as per his dad's instructions.

**The End**

**Poll for this Chapter**

**A) Mercy really sucks and Chuck should come back now. (I know, this is such a given). Discuss**

**B) Small Woo Hoo for the kiss from Sarah although Jill kissed him on the lips! Discuss**

**C) Vincent has Sarah! What would Chuck Do? Discuss**

**D) What would you like to see in Chapter 8? Discuss**


	8. Is A Dangerous Thing

**A/N – So this is the Chapter that I've been waiting to write and I really hope the build-up is worth it. Firstly,thanks to all who was nice enough to volunteer to beta for me and to mxpw for bravery in taking the job. If you notice lack of spelling errors, better punctuation and good grammar, please direct thanks to mxpw. I know that it may get a bit confusing with the various flashbacks but I do try and link them up either in the same chapter or in future chapters so the small payoff for the Vill flashback last chapter can be found here. Enjoy!**

**The Inevitable Life of Chuck Bartowski**

**Chapter 8 Is A Dangerous Thing**

_**Brentwood, Los Angeles, 11.15 pm December 24**__**th**__** 1989**_

"_Daddy says we can't be down here." Ellie hates it when Chuck doesn't listen to her and they end up in trouble. Her father had given strict instructions to her to ensure that she and her brother stayed upstairs for the rest of the night._

"_Come on El, I just want to check if it's really there." He'd asked for the new Mac Portable and had been surprised when his dad had not refused and had even hinted that it'll be there beneath the tree on Christmas morning. "Dad won't even know we've been down there. I think he's in the study and you know how he gets when he's working." He can see that she's not convinced and decides to forgo her approval as he slowly sneaks down the steps, ignoring her next words, knowing that she won't go through with it. He knows she loves him too much to get him into trouble especially since their mom has also recently left them._

"_Chuck Bartowski, if you take one more step, I'll call Daddy." It's an empty threat and she knows it but she tries anyway. Unlike Chuck, she can see that their father is pre-occupied with more than work and it scares her a bit. He's been acting strange, not like when their mom left but more like he's frightened of something and that scares her more than anything else. She waits to see if Chuck changes his mind but to no avail and she slowly gets up and goes back to her room, hoping that Christmas morning would make her feel better._

_Chuck peers under the tree and notes the big box tucked in the back and he's so tempted to open it that he reaches out only to be stopped by the voices he hears emanating from the study. He had thought that his dad had been alone working but the presence of another voice causes him to move closer to the door._

"_Stephen, you really don't have a choice here." The voice is smooth and low. "We own you, this house, your wife and kids."_

"_Don't you dare talk about my family, Ted. I mean it. I'll kill you if you ever harm them." Chuck's never heard his father sound so angry before and for once he feels that Ellie had been right and he should not have come downstairs. "I'll do this but then I'm out."_

"_You're not going anywhere and you're not in a position to bargain." The man's voice is more strident this time._

"_I think you're the one who's mistaken Ted. The program you have is flawed and I'm the only one who can fix it. I can do it for you or I could do it for the CIA and right now, I'm offering to do it for you." Chuck really does not understand what's going on and knows he should not be listening to this. He knows that he has to forget all that he had heard, that he should not be down here and he slowly sneaks back upstairs, promising himself that he will forget the entire conversation when he wakes up tomorrow. That he'll pretend it was all a dream and that his dad had not sounded so angry and had talked of killing._

_**Indiana Dunes State Park, Lake Michigan, 7.31 pm 21**__**st**__** June 1989**_

_Sarah knows that she's a great swimmer despite only learning to swim a few years ago. It was the last thing her mom taught her before she got sick and it's the one thing that always calms her and makes her feel like everything's going to be ok. The water is warm and cocoons her and the sky is still bright such that she can see the shore and the campsite. She turns to float on her back, just enjoying the sounds of the lapping water and the feeling that she's a bit closer to her mom than before._

_The cramp in her leg hits her so suddenly that she sinks a few feet below the water line before struggling to break surface. She's good at holding her breath though and does not swallow much water. "Daddy." She calls out, hoping that he's not too absorbed in planning one of his schemes that he won't be able to hear her. She's struggling in the water but does not panic as she remembers her mother's advice._

"_Don't struggle too much, baby, just remain calm, don't be afraid of the water. You'll just need to know which way is up and you'll always be fine."_

_She sinks below the surface again but does not struggle as she holds her breath. Again, she pushes up with her other leg and breathes the cool night air as soon as her head bobs above the surface. Again, she calls out, "Daddy." Her voice is not as strong as she would like but she finally hears him call out and a distant splash before she sinks again into the water for the last time._

_She does not panic and flail about, instead trying her best to not sink much further in although she cannot hold her breath any longer and takes in water. She's unconscious when her father carries her to shore. She throws up water and the remnants of her dinner when her pounds her chest. She remembered that she didn't cry or wail, but just rested in his arms the whole night. It was the last vacation they took together before her dad started grifting during the summer months._

**Fulcrum local base, Santa Clara, California, 12.22pm, 30****th**** March 2009**

Sarah is beginning to really hate waking up and seeing that she's been tied to something and at the mercy of another Fulcrum agent. This time, she's slumped forward on her knees, her hands are tied at an awkward angle behind her, holding her upwards while putting pressure on her arms and there's a tub of water in front of her.

"Nice of you to wake up just in time to give me some answers." She strains to look up at him but does not focus on his face as her eyes dart around to sense her surroundings in hopes of thinking of a plan of escape. She knows what he has planned for her though and also that she will not provide him with any answers regardless, so she remains silent as he walks towards her, until all she can see are his shoes.

He does not ask her any question as she feels his rough hands on the back of her head pushing her down into the water. She barely manages to hold her breath as the pain in her arms becomes unbearable, the ropes binding her pulling them at an uncomfortable angle. The water stings her eyes and she closes them. It's only been slightly more than a minute before he releases her and she pulls her head up, releasing the tension on her arms and gasping for breath.

"What are your mission specs?" The question is so vague that she knows he's just playing with her, drawing out this charade until he can confirm the kill order from Fulcrum. She does not respond and feels him push her head down once again.

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He can see the storage unit from the entrance and notes the car parked just outside of it. If Vincent had captured Sarah, this was the closest place in the vicinity that he could bring her to. He knows that it's usually empty and if they are here, he'll just need to convince Vincent to leave. All this information assimilated from the various Flashes previously. It scares him that he's becoming adept at paring down the information into usable bytes that he knows the CIA will find useful.

He had contemplated just going to his dad's when he could not find Sarah at the mall. However, her kiss and the fact that she had allowed him to take the disk and asked him to save himself all made him finally realize that although he could not for a fact confirm her loyalties, she had always looked out for him and he needs to help her now. He is still incredibly terrified of his situation and the fact that in not listening to his father, he may already have lost his chance at returning to his old life. He does not know anything personal about Sarah and his current choice to try and save her over listening to his father is driven by a need he cannot articulate. He knows he can still change his mind as he sits in his car, but it's the memory of her soft lips brushing across his cheek that finally convinces him.

He slowly gets out of the car and walks towards the storage unit. He looks around for a weapon of some kind but there is nothing on the ground. He clenches his hands in frustration and brings them to his head, trying to activate his Intersect, without much success until he looks into the car parked there and sees a Stanford class ring hanging from the front mirror.

"_Second Generation Ipod,_

_Operation Sandstorm reports to Leader,_

_Operation Greatwall reports to Leader,_

_Satellite pictures,_

_African elephant,_

_Uzi sub machine gun,_

_Second Generation ipod."_

It's enough information to prove that his instincts are finally correct and that Jill, codename Sandstorm, and Vincent, codename Greatwall, are operatives of Fulcrum and have been tasked with bringing down the CIA. Sarah had been telling the truth all this while and he knows that he needs to save her now before she was harmed any further. He hopes with all his being that he is not too late and prays that Sarah is alright. He does not fully think out his plan not because he is confident but because its built on hope, luck and stupidity and he knows that if he stops to acknowledge that, his fear would most certainly overtake his current bravado and he would not be able to go through with trying to save Sarah.

Chuck sees the small electronic keypad by the door and takes a deep breath before keying in the numbers he had seen in his previous download. He's not really sure if his plan will work but at least he has enough information from the most current download to bluff his way in. The door slides open revealing a small empty room. He walks towards the door at the back and opens it. He can hear a voice coming from below as he carefully makes his way down the stairs, trying not to trip over his shoes.

"Who is the new Intersect?" Vincent wants to kill her but knows he has to confirm with Leader before carrying out the deed. He knows that there is a kill order for her but that she may also be in possession of information vital to Fulcrum. He presses her head down harder; he stretches her arms and notices that she's struggling less and less. He's enjoying her suffering a bit too much that he does not notice the new arrival until he speaks.

"Section Chief Smith?" He's surprised that his voice does not tremble although he has to put his hands in his pockets to stop them from shaking.

Vincent let's go of Sarah's head and quickly goes for his gun, as he stands up and trains it on the newcomer. "Who are you?"

Sarah's disoriented as she fights to catch her breath and it's only then that she sees the Chuck Taylors on the feet of the second person in the room. She does not want to believe her eyes and closes them briefly before looking up to see Chuck standing there as if it was the most normal place to be.

"I have instructions from Leader. Codename Greatwall." Chuck holds his hands behind his back as he walks to examine the papers on the small table near the wall, careful to not make any eye contact with Sarah although he's relieved to see her alive and thankfully breathing. He does not want to process the fact that he had walked in on her torture session and instead concentrates on the information in his head, trying to hit on the right tone and words in order to convince her torturer to leave.

"About the kill order?" Vincent's still a bit suspicious although his code does check out.

Sarah cannot believe how naïve she had been in trusting Chuck as she hears him talk so casually to her captor. She wants to shout at him but she is in no position to do anything right now. She's beaten and tired and most of all, Chuck's betrayal has done the one thing that the torture had not been able to do; feelings of helplessness and anger at her own stupidity threatens to overwhelm her. She wants to think that its water dripping down her face but she can taste the salt of her tears. Instead, she blinks rapidly, working up the anger she feels building up within her.

Chuck finally turns around and can see Sarah staring at him, her eyes so full of hatred that his next words die on his lips. It makes Vincent more suspicious, though, as he does not lower his weapon. Chuck can see that she's in pain, that the ropes are putting too much strain on her arms and that he needs to get this done quickly. "I was sent here to finish this as you are needed back at base. The new Intersect is being moved and as Section Chief, you will need to co-ordinate the mission. She's of no consequence now that Sandstorm has received the intel we required." He hopes that he has said all the right things and looks straight at Vincent, his eyes clear as he gestures towards the stairs. His palms are wet and he can feel the sweat trickling down his back but he knows that his fear is nothing compared to the pain Sarah must be in.

He does not move or blink until Vincent finally turns away and rushes up the stairs. It's only when he hears the faint sound of the car engine starting does he run towards Sarah and loosens her bonds. He bends down to help her up, only to have her spin around and kick him in the side, sending him flying into the wall.

"You…son of a…bitch." She's breathing so hard, fueled by anger and hurt that she ignores her screaming muscles as she rears back and hits him again. His head hits the wall she's backed him up against and he does not resist, but just looks at her, his brown eyes understanding and still open. "When…did you …start…working…for Fulcrum?" She hauls him up as she asks the question and is confused that he's not fighting back. "Damn it." She hits him in the chest and he does not even try and block it. Her hand hurts but it does not compare to the hurt she feels deep within. She hates the feeling so much, that she hits him again wishing that the external pain she was feeling would finally eclipse the growing internal one.

"I'm not…I'm not working for Fulcrum." He knows he owes her an explanation but it scares him to tell her about the Intersect in his head. He knows that once she finds out, she'll have a duty to report it. However, he does not want to lie to her any longer and he needs to convince her that he's there to save her like she had saved him.

"The program you were looking for, the one George was working on. It's in my head. I accidentally downloaded it into me." He sees the meaning of his words hit home as her eyes widen and she takes a step back.

"You've had it. All this time?" The incredulity coloring her voice is evident but so is the underlying hurt. "You lied to me." Her voice rises as she begins to piece together the clues that she's been ignoring because she thought he was a normal guy. "You've flashed on me and probably other things and you've been hiding it all along, lying to me. What else do you know about Fulcrum?" Her voice finally turns cold, her eyes blazing with directed anger.

He takes a good look at her, her wet hair, the bruises on her face and it spurs him on to do the one thing that he's been trying not to think about since he's met her. He does not have the words to convince her otherwise any longer but he's finally recognized the feeling he's had all this while. Not because of it's familiarity but because it's something new and different and he realizes that showing her doesn't scare him as much as knowing that she'll never forgive him if he doesn't do anything. He holds her shoulders and pulls her in, his lips finally capturing hers. It's a move he's never done before and he expects her to hit him again or to resist but her resistance is fleeting as he finally feels her pull at his shirt, her body pressed against his.

Of all the things Sarah expects him to do, kissing does not even rank. When he had reached out, she was expecting him to push her away and not pull her in. His lips had crashed into hers and for a second, her mind had gone blank, all her senses just focused on the feeling of his lips and tongue. She shivers as her body fully betrays her anger and she viscerally reacts to the kiss, pulling him closer to her, ensuring that he's fully wrapped around her.

Out of all the new experiences he has encountered in the past few days, this is the one that totally makes everything completely worth it. He's never felt such a strong connection to anyone not even Jill and although he's still terrified and completely out of his depth, all he can feel is how well she fits into his arms.

Sarah finally pulls back, her eyes are opened wide, and her hands are still curled around his collar as she consciously tells herself to breathe again.

"You kissed me." Her voice has a slight tinge of awe as she continues to stare at him, her lips still tingling.

"Well, to be fair, you kissed me back." He's never been suave or sure of himself but right now, he's sure of this one thing as his lips curl up slightly. He sees her at a loss for words and he uses it to try and explain himself. "Sarah, I'm not Fulcrum and yes, I withheld information from you because I was scared of what's in my head, scared that you would turn me in or kill me. I was going to get it out of my head, go some place safe but…" He sees her flinch at his choice of words although she still remains silent. "I flashed on information about Fulcrum and you and came here. I don't want to hurt you, I came back to..." He does not finish the sentence, instead he raises his hand to touch her cheek but she turns away, although not fast enough such that he can see the tears shimmering in her eyes.

"You came back." She utters the words but still refuses to look at him. "You used the information you flashed on to come back and save me? Without a weapon or a plan?" The incredulity is present in her voice as she realizes what Chuck has done, for her. "You're incredibly brave and incredibly stupid." She definitely feels like hitting him again but to be fair, she equally feels like kissing him too. Sarah pushes down on those two emotions, compartmentalizing them in order to concentrate on her current predicament.

"We should leave, I'm pretty sure that Vincent's going to check in sooner or later and find out that I'm not who he thinks I am." He leads her out to his car, noting that she's limping again and that she's been through so much because of him. "We can try and find a pharmacy."

Sarah waves his suggestion away as she gets into the car, a myriad of thoughts running through her mind. Foremost of which is the fact that Chuck probably has a Fulcrum Intersect in his head, but also the fact that if she turned him in, he would never be released. The CIA and NSA would never trust the information he provided in the field and would try and extract as much information about Fulcrum as they could from him, with or without his consent. "What do you see when you flash and how do you feel after?"

That was the word she had used and he had mimicked when he tried to explain his situation to her."I see images, pictures, files, all kinds of information, but they're in a specific order and it translates into an understanding in my mind, of people or situations. The first time it happened, I thought my head was going to explode but now, it just feels tingly."

"Tingly?" Bryce had never used that term to describe a Flash and she wonders if it's because it's a Fulcrum Intersect or because Chuck's different. She knows that it's a question that her bosses would want answered regardless of whether it would hurt Chuck in the process. Bruce had always told her that the pain never really went away for him and in the later years, it got worse.

"Not tingly like kissing you…umm I mean like drinking something cold really fast. Brain Freeze, you know." He sees her nod and waits for her next question.

"Does anyone else know? Ellie?" She looks at his profile as he drives.

"Not Ellie. I didn't tell Ellie." She can see that he's telling the truth but that he's also told someone and he's debating whether to tell her who.

He turns onto the highway and is unsure of which direction to take. "Where do we go?"

Sarah knows that she's bound by the confines of her duty and it would dictate that she would need to obey her orders as set by Graham and bring him in. The problem with that was that it would go against what Bryce had asked of her and what her instincts were telling her as well. "You said that you could get it out. That there was a safe place?" She knows that in truth, there would probably be no safe place for him if anyone else knew of his Intersect. "Who did you tell? Who offered to help you?"

He turns the car before he answers her, already making up his mind to tell her everything. "My dad. I was going to see my dad. He said he could help."

She's taken aback by his answer and more so by the fact that his father would know about the Intersect or how to remove it. She's read every report, knows of all the researchers and doctors involved, their names forever scorched into her memory. "Who's your dad? What' his name?"

"Stephen Bartowski. He was a computer engineer a long time ago, but he's been in hiding for a long time now. Ellie and I never knew why he left, although I always had a weird feeling that it was my fault. That he had to go. Now I think it's because he was mixed up in this mess somehow." It's all a jumble in his head, memories of his father working in their house in LA and of feeling like there was always something more about his dad's abandonment that went beyond him being irresponsible.

"He said he could help you get it out?" It's a gamble on her part but she knows that it's their only viable choice right now. Casey probably did not know about Chuck's Intersect and neither did Fulcrum. If his dad could remove it, she could take him back to Graham with the list of candidates and get him the protection he needed.

"Yeah, he did. He also told me not to trust you though." He does not want to keep any more things from her as he relays the rest of the conversation he had with his father.

She listens as he speaks, using the time to gather her own thoughts about her situation. She does not think about the kiss because it frightens her. Instead, she ruminates on her possible next steps. She would have to convince Chuck to go with her to D.C. and she would need to evade both Casey and Fulcrum to get there. She had not recognized his name, but if his father really could help remove the Intersect, then he probably could also give her some information about why it had malfunctioned in Bryce and what she could possibly do to prevent it from happening with the next Intersect. She closes her eyes, only intending to rest them for a second but cannot fight the tiredness that washes over her as she falls asleep, lulled by the sound of his voice.

"But I do trust you." He finishes, even though he can see that she's asleep, he says it anyway. He knows that she will need time to learn to accept his trust and he hopes that they'll have the time together.

**Ballarat, California, 7.02 pm, 30****th**** March 2009**

Sarah pulls up to the trailer and kills the engine. There are no structures for miles except for the trailer and derelict barn behind it. She looks over at Chuck and does not want to wake him considering that he's only had the past three hours of sleep. She sees the beginning of his five o'clock shadow and cannot help herself as she tentatively reaches out to caress his cheek. She still hasn't thanked him for coming back to save her life or apologized for hitting him. She's not really sure where to start although she knows that she'll eventually have to address their kiss and what it actually means for them.

She's never really had a completely healthy or real relationship in her life and she does not want to screw things up. Sarah knows that she's really getting ahead of herself considering that it was just one kiss, one knee weakening, soul searing, electrifying kiss, but still, it may not have meant that much to him.

"Are we there yet?" He still sounds sleepy and his eyes are closed and she can't tell if he's joking or not so she answers him anyway.

"Yeah, we just arrived."

Chuck had felt her touch his cheek and had been tempted to take her hand and pull her close. He's never felt like this before and he's amazed that it does not scare him.

"He said he was waiting for you so maybe you should just go in first." She really does hope that this harebrained plan actually succeeds and she does not want to spook Stephen Bartowski. . Sarah knows that what she's doing currently goes against not only her training but also her orders. The choice she has made though does not give her any regrets as she looks at Chuck.

"No, uhh uh... We're doing this together. No more lies, no more hiding." He exits the car, goes to open her door and takes her hand.

They walk towards the trailer door and it's only then that Chuck shows his hesitancy for the first time. "What if he was just lying? He's acted so crazy all the times I've visited. What if he's just lying?" He feels her hand tighten around his.

"Then we'll find another solution. I'm not going to give up and neither should you." Sarah does not want to think of the alternative and vows to herself that if it really does not work out, she'll find a way to get him somewhere safe. He raises his hand to knock on the door but it swings open before he makes contact.

"About time you got here and I see you couldn't get rid of CIA either." His father leaves the door open as he walks towards the back of the trailer. Chuck's pretty much taken aback by the change in his demeanor. Gone was the tentative voice and slouched posture that he had seen in his past visits. The man who answered the door was how he remembered his dad before he left. He had been confident, smart and directed.

Her first reaction is one of mistrust but she does not show it except to touch the gun she has in her holster on her back. She can see that Chuck is also unsure and she knows that she needs to help him here, to see if removing the Intersect was really feasible. "Chuck, are you with me?" She can see that he's a bit taken aback although to her, his father's reaction at least proves that he's familiar with espionage and the CIA. She automatically holds his hand and climbs into the tralier, knowing that she needs to move this forward for him.

"Mr. Bartowski, my name is…" Sarah starts to speak but he cuts her off unceremoniously.

"No, no names or introductions. I'm doing this to help my son. You're not going to be able to use him and you and I never met. You understand?" He walks up to her, standing toe to toe, making his position and view of her very clear. Stephen Bartowski cannot hide the disdain from his voice or face as he confronts the very organization who could not protect his wife. He knows that the woman in front of him was too young to have been active in the CIA, twenty years ago but he still feels compelled to make his point.

Sarah nods accepting the scorn in his voice, but still presses on with her own warning."I want to help Chuck as well and I need to know if you can take it out or if we're just wasting time here."

"It depends." Stephen walks towards the small side table and picks up the PC tablet there and hands it to Chuck. "Son, does this look familiar to you?" he had warned Chuck of involving the CIA and had hoped that he undestood his message but clearly his son still does not understand the situation he has brought upon himself.

Chuck looks at the codes on the screen, using his hand to scroll through it. He recognizes some of it as the code that was on Fleming's disk and spots the same errors near the end. "Yeah, this was in George's program, actually partly my program as some parts were replaced by code I wrote. I also corrected some of the errors at the end."

"George? As in George Fleming showed you this program?" Stephen had always known that George had taken over at Fulcrum when he had gone underground. However, he did not realize that Chuck had perhaps unwittingly helped Fulcrum move forward in creating the next generation Intersect. "I wrote the original code." He's proud of his work although over time he has realized that creating it had been the precursor to all his troubles and that the regret he feels would never go away.

"You're Fulcrum." Sarah reaches for her gun as she makes the accusation and steps in front of Chuck for good measure.

"Yes…No…I mean, I was, but I haven't been part of that organization for a long time." Stephen sighs as he runs his hand through his graying hair. "I did what they wanted in exchange for letting me go. I didn't think that you would get caught up in this. You have to believe me." He looks at the couple before him, wanting to convince them. He sees the gun the same time Chuck does. "Are you going to shoot me?" He had considered taking his life a few times but what stoppped him wasn't the fear of death but the fear that he would not be around to protect his children from his mistakes

"No, Sarah. He's my dad." Chuck tries to go around her but she stands firm as she places her hand on his arm.

"Can you get it out?" Sarah's voice is stern as she levels the gun at Chuck's dad. It's a side of her that she wished she did not have to reveal to Chuck as she sees his eyes dart to her and her gun and the fear reflected in them. She never wants him to be afraid of her but she also does not want to hide who she is. She sees Stephen Bartowski nod and feels Chuck's hand on hers and she finally relents and lowers her gun

"I set up the equipment in the barn out back. Charles, you're going to help me recreate the code and walk me through the corrections. I'll need it to run the override program." He pushes pass Sarah to get to the door and notes that she actually defers to his son and waits for his response.

"Yeah, ok. So all we're doing is writing over the data in my brain? Is it safe?" Chuck does trust his dad but he needs to know that he'll still be the same guy he was before all this occurred. He hopes that Sarah wants him to be that guy too as he looks at her and smiles.

"Not exactly, we're going to erase it not write over it. It'll be as if it wasn't there." He avoids the second question, though he notes that Sarah hasn't as she stares at him. The issue was that he was sure of the theory but had never really had the chance to test it. He does not want to use his only son as a guinea pig but also notes that it's their only avenue to save him from the CIA and from Fulcrum.

"Bryce died because it started to malfunction." Her voice is soft and directed at Chuck. "It didn't work well for him. He had headaches and nosebleeds. It was killing him. Having it in you isn't safe either." She needs Chuck to understand the full extent of his situation before he makes the choice. Unlike his father, she does not want to withhold any information from him. Stephen Bartowski's Fulcrum connection does not sit well with her but she can see paprallels with her own father and knows that if given the choice, he would do anything in his power to save her too.

Stephen does not correct her assumption, knowing that she wouldn't believe him anyway. The Intersect program did not malfunction nor did it have a flaw. It was the candidates that were flawed. George had never listened to him when he pointed that out. he had been conceited enough to think that psychology was more of a determinant than brain chemistry which meant that most of the candidates that he had chosen for the CIA and for Fulcrum were never going to be able to accept the Intersect program. It was akin to pounding a square peg into a round hole.

"Ok." Chuck starts to correct the code on the tablet PC as he follows Sarah and his dad out of the trailer.

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Chuck had been taken aback when he entered the barn, expecting to see chaos and dirt only to be lead through a second door to a top-of-the line electronics lab. Sarah had been consigned to the sidelines as he and his dad started to rebuild the code. She had finally asked for the hard disk and spent her time reviewing the avi files of the various other candidates. It had taken almost eight hours to set everything up and only now were they ready to proceed as his dad and Sarah strap him into the chair.

"You just need to focus on the screens in front of you and the program will do the rest." He looks on as his father walks towards the computer and enters the last remaining code.

"What happens now?" Chuck had wanted to talk to Sarah but the work and her focus on Fleming's files did not allow for much personal discussion. They had still not discussed the kiss or the fact that she was very close to disobeying her orders by being here and letting him go through with this. He knows that they have started something together but is completely unsure of whether it would lead anywhere or even if she wanted it to.

She knows the question encompasses more than just the removal of the Intersect but she also knows that she does not have an answer for him. At least not one he would accept. She really does feel a connection to him but she does not know what she can really do about it. Her job had been her life for so long and her partner her substitute family, that she does not acknowledge anything else. "You need to stay here for a week or so until I can arrange for protection for you from the Agency, and then you can go back to being Professor Bartowski." She smiles for his benefit although it does not reach her eyes.

"So you'll get permission to come and protect me?" He had taken her at her word that she would protect him, not really understanding her meaning and even now, he looks on expectantly as she shakes her head.

"No, I wouldn't…I won't be the one assigned." She does not like being responsible for his unhappiness and hates the fact that he wears his emotions so clearly as his face falls at her words.

"So that's it. Your assignment's over. You leave and I pretend this was all just an anomalous blip that is best forgotten" There is no spite in his voice, only resignation as he tries to reconcile his feelings with her dose of reality.

"What do you want me to say?" It's the first time in a long while that Sarah blurts out the first thing that enters her mind and it just reinforces the fact that she's different around him and it scares her.

"If I had to tell you…" He does not finish the sentence because he can see that she can guess his words as she looks at him, her lips parted as if she wants to finish it for him.

"It did mean something to me. The kiss." She touches her lips as if reminiscing. "But I can't do anything about it right now. I need to finish this, what Bryce started. Get the new Intersect program off the ground and then…"

"And then..." he prompts, waiting for her answer.

"I'll call, I promise." She has never made a promise that she could not keep and this time is no different.

"That works since I have a phone. Well more than one actually." He makes light of the situation, not because he finds it funny but because he's beginning to understand the way she thinks. That despite her experience in the field, she's just as much a novice in relationships as he is. Their only difference being that he's a novice by choice and Sarah's one due to circumstances.

"Ok, son. We're all set. Sarah, we'll need to turn around as soon as I activate this." Chuck nods and feels her hand touch his briefly before she walks towards the side. He blinks a few times before staring intently at the screens, the only indication that the program has started is the fact that he cannot move as his senses all focus on the images being projected.

The entire process takes all of fifteen minutes although to Sarah it feels so much longer as she rushes towards Chuck as soon as Stephen gives the all clear. He's slumped forward in his chair and she takes his pulse and checks his pupils.

"He's going to be fine." Stephen still does not have a good grasp of Sarah's relationship with his son, although he's pretty sure that the both of them aren't that certain either, judging by the conversation they had just now. "Should I ask what your intentions are?" Stephen knows that he hasn't been there for Chuck in the past and maybe what he's done now will help make up for it.

Sarah only looks up after ensuring that Chuck's breathing and pulse are strong. She knows she does not owe Stephen Bartowski any explanation. However, she does need something from him and it prompts her to respond. "Chuck's a good person and I promised someone that I would look out for him." She wonders if Bryce was actually prescient when he pressed the photograph into her hand.

"That's good because I think it's about time I started to look out for him too." He knows what she wants to ask him and gives her the opening to continue.

"You seemed to be familiar with Fleming's work." She sees him nod, "I need to find another candidate for the Intersect, but I'm not sure where to start. Bryce tested the best out of all of us but it still malfunctioned in him. There has to be a reason, something we have overlooked in picking candidates. I have Fleming's old list and most of them are current agents. I just don't know who to pick." She does not add that her name is still on the list.

Stephen knows that she's inferring to the fact that she thinks Chuck is special and that she needs to find a similar candidate in order to ensure that the CIA never finds out about his son. "Let me give it a shot, I think I may be able to narrow it down for you or at least give you better testing parameters."

**The End**

**So my poll for this Chapter**

**A)Jomarch05 is totally forgiven for the Chill in Ch 6. Discuss**

**B)Should Chuck always make the first move?Discuss**

**C)Charah is here, so which chapter does Team Bartowski finally show up?**

**D)Just please review because I really like knowing that people are enjoying/not enjoying/semi enjoying this story.**


	9. A Little Hard Work

**A/N – So thanks as always to mxpw for reading through my dense prose and spelling errors and correcting all. The reviews for Ch8 were great and hopefully, this does move the story along for those who were asking for plot development. And for those asking for Charah, well, hope you're happy too (So now do I get full pardon for the chill??)**

**The Inevitable Life of Chuck Bartowski**

**Chapter 9 A Little Hard Work**

**Ballarat, California, 6.15 am, 31****st**** March 2009**

Sarah is sitting on the hood of the car watching the sunrise and making up more excuses in her head as to why she had not left as soon as Stephen had narrowed down the list for her. She's up to her sixteenth reason although she's pretty sure she's used waiting for the sunrise twice.

"You're not planning on leaving before we had a chance to say goodbye, right?" Chuck had woken up in the barn, feeling slightly buzzed, like he had drunk the night before but had taken a few aspirins before going to bed. He had looked around for Sarah and had almost called out before his dad told him she was waiting outside. He had wanted to go to her then but had to undergo a few tests to see if he had retained his ability to flash and the great news was that he had not. Even the information from the past flashes all seemed to have disappeared except for Sarah's file. It wasn't weird to him, though, that the only thing he could recall with great clarity was Sarah.

"How are you feeling?" She turns to look at him, trying to memorize his face because she knows that she has no idea when she'll get to see him again and she feels that uncertainty manifest itself as an ache in her heart.

"Good, or at least Intersect free." He joins her on the hood, their shoulders touching and he does not say anything for a minute, instead just reveling in her presence, knowing that she'll have to go soon. "When do you think you can call?"

She's prepared for the question as she hands him a card with a phone number on it. "It's a messaging service. I try and check it twice a day." He's beginning to learn to discern her underlying meaning as he takes the card. She cannot say a lot but she's trying to let him know that she wants to hear from him, or at least he thinks she does. He does not let go of her hand as he looks at her.

"So I think I'm going to kiss you again. If that's ok?" He smiles as he leans in closer, his eyes bright and staring at her lips.

"You didn't ask for permission the first time." She does not move as she watches his lips get closer, finally just closing her eyes as he makes contact. Their first kiss had been sudden and visceral, fuelled equally by passion, anger and uncertainty. This kiss, though, is different as she feels his tongue probe gently and his hands cup her face. It's a kiss built on promises to come as he pulls her closer and she breathes him in, both coming together to create a memory to last. It's a kiss that drives away doubts from her mind and fills it only with thoughts of Chuck. For him, it's a kiss that cements the fact that he is falling for someone he does not know a whole lot about, but he also does not care about that.

Chuck does not want the kiss to end because he understands that she has to go and there really is nothing to hold her to him except for the memory of their two kisses. It's such a tenuous connection that he's almost afraid that as soon as she leaves, she'll forget about them and about him. He finally pulls back and can see that her eyes are still closed.

"Wow" she expels the word in one breath as she finally opens her eyes to look at him, smiling.

"Really?" He's surprised and pleased by her reaction, although his face turns somber when he sees her slide off the hood and walk towards the driver's side of the car. She's wants to stay so badly but forces herself to put one foot in front of the other and not look at him until she's ensconced in the safety of the car. Sarah knows that she's already wasted too much time and the sooner she could get things squared away with Graham and the NSA, the sooner she could come back to him. She's already stayed longer than she should have and she hopes he understands that.

He waves the card at her as she buckles herself in. "I'll leave a message, everyday." He wants so much to ask her to stay but he knows that she still has a job to do and she had already done so much for him. It would be selfish to ask her to do more even though the words are on the tip on his tongue. He clenches his jaw tightly, knowing that he needs to let her go and trust that she will come back to him because it's something that the both o them want.

She does not trust herself to say anything as she drives off, not wanting to make any more promises that she may not have the ability to keep, although she is so tempted to say so much more. She stares at his diminishing reflection in her side view mirror noting that he does not walk away and she keeps looking at him until she has to follow the bend of the road and he is no longer visible.

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He does not call the number until six hours have passed almost too slowly for his comfort. The message he leaves is short and to the point. "_What matters is not how long you've known someone but how much you miss them when they're gone."_ He does not leave his name but is so tempted to leave a number for her to call.

The second and third messages occur over the next eight hours. Each one driven by a need to cement their link by whatever means he has.

"_Dad actually cooked, although only if you go by the wide definition that actually includes use of the microwave. You should eat something healthy today for the both of us." _

"_Blue, the Lakers and Broccoli; favorite color, sports team and most hated vegetable."_

He's beginning to feel a bit stupid leaving the messages and does not send any the whole of the next day, although it's always hovering in the back of his mind. He's trying to discuss the research done on reducing power usage for large scale processors with his dad but cannot fully articulate his thoughts because to be honest, he's thinking about Sarah.

"Son, maybe you should just send her another message." Stephen's been observing his son and despite the mistakes that he had made, he's amazed that Charles has turned out so well and that in the end, he has been able to help and protect his son to this point. He knows, though, that it's only a lull in the storm that is about to erupt and that he may need to hurt Charles before saving him for good.

Chuck looks up at his words and is so tempted to follow through but something still holds him back. "She managed to complete her assignment and help me at the same time. I…I don't want to add to her issues." He has no idea what Sarah will have to face and wishes that he knew more or even if she was receiving or wanting his messages. He's so caught up in his thoughts that he does not see his phone vibrate until it falls off the table. He goes to pick it up and scrolls through the message and only then does he realize that for once in his life, he's read the situation well.

"_Red, Washington Capitals, olives."_

It actually amazes him that four words could mean so much but they do and he places another call. _"By the time we meet again, we'll definitely be on third date material."_

**CIA Headquarters, Langley Virginia, 8.53 am, 5****th**** April 2009**

Sarah's pacing the outer room to Graham's office, back straight, arms held behind her and a scowl on her face. She does not like to be kept in the dark, but understands that Graham has needed time to work through her proposal as well as ensure that he has enough to barter to the NSA for their co-operation in rescinding the incarceration order for one Charles Irving Bartowski.

"Agent Walker, you may proceed in now." Graham's secretary had given her a wide berth and only now talks directly to her, although she does not get up to usher Sarah into the office.

"Agent Walker, how was your physical?" She sees Graham sitting at his imposing desk with General Beckman on the screen on the wall.

Sarah is not expecting the question and it causes her to pause and gather her thoughts before answering. "Yes Sir, I'm fully recovered from the shooting and subsequent encounters." She's not lying about being more or less physically on her way to a hundred percent. It's her emotional state that she's currently not sure about as she tries to move from one day to the next, only driven by her expectation of listening to the voice messages on her service. "Is there any news about the candidates?"

"Agent Walker, tell me again why you are refusing to disclose the location of Charles Bartowski?" The General's voice is cold and flat and Sarah does not blink as she stares at the screen.

"General, as I have explained to Director Graham, Charles Bartowski is of no consequence to the NSA or CIA. Whatever information we needed has already been obtained. The four high potential candidates..."

"Two of which are dead and the other two have been either abducted by Fulcrum or defected to Fulcrum," Beckman finishes as she reads from the file on her desk. She had not liked being ambushed by the CIA into conceding the point that they had access to information that would be useful to the NSA and the nation. However, in going through the list, they were still back to the point that their so called proposed candidates were not available.

"There is another possibility." Sarah's voice takes on a more somber tone as she takes a breath and hands over another piece of paper to Graham. The new testing parameters as proposed by Stephen Bartowski are written on it along with the name of a potential test subject.

He looks at it and at her, an inscrutable expression on his face as he faxes the sheet over to the General who puts on her reading glasses as she looks at it. "Agent Walker, these are untested parameters with no proof of success. Are you su..."

"Yes, ma'am," Sarah answers smartly, not giving the General time to think it through.

"Very well, you may proceed. Major Casey is still requesting that he have permission to question Professor Bartowski. Can that be arranged?"

"I do not see a need. Ma'am, he's a civilian that has no idea what he had got himself into and still doesn't. Yet, he managed to help me get medical attention and allow me access to Fleming's files. As far as I know, we have not changed our focus from going after only those that are guilty to those people that have been unwittingly caught up as well." She can see Graham staring at her, unused to hearing impassioned pleas not associated with Bryce but he remains silent. "The proposal and the potential subjects we can find with the new parameters will allow you to lead the new Intersect project with the support of the CIA."

"I see. Very well. I shall convey your message to Major Casey and if he has further proof, I assume then we shall be able to move on Professor Bartowski. In the meantime, report to the basement testing facility." Sarah nods, knowing that she has won a small victory and cannot push her luck further.

"Sarah." Graham does not like the new development. "What is this man to you?" He had been there throughout her career and has never seen her plead. Not for herself during the testing phase of the Intersect project when other candidates had begged to be removed and not even when she and Larkin had been placed on suspension after the debacle in Pakistan with the DEA. Yet, she had done so for a civilian she had only met a week ago.

She looks at him with her clear blue eyes and he can see that she's weighing her words before she speaks. "I'm not sure." Even to her ears, the denouement sounds false. "He's a good man and I can't remember ever meeting one until I met him." She can see that Graham is surprised by her admission and even more so by her show of emotions.

"I hope he's worth it." She looks at him and nods once at his words. "And I hope he's worthy of you." Her eyes widen in surprise at that but Graham has already turned away indicating the conversation is over.

She walks into the corridor and takes out her phone. She is unsure of whether she should be making the call or just texting him, but in the end, she knows that she wants to hear his voice considering that it will definitely be sometime before she can even think of seeing him in person. She dials his number and waits for the CIA service to bounce her call and number through various exchanges before it connects. She finally hears it ring twice before she hears his sleepy voice and realizes it's just twenty minutes past six in the morning where he's at.

"Uh, Hallo." No one answers on the other end and Chuck's not quite awake enough that he almost hangs up before realizing that it might be Sarah. He blurrily looks at the caller id which shows unknown caller. "Sarah?"

She hears her name and only then answers back, "Hey, how are you doing?" She hopes he's fine and not going too stir crazy. She's almost there on ensuring his future is safe and she needs him to be patient a bit longer.

"It's been great to have discussions with my dad that are not fraught with underlying meaning that I could never understand. Although…" He wants to tell her that he misses her but does not want to sound needy or weird considering that he's only just met her. However, he truly believes that he's never met anyone like her and that he's recognized something in her that resonates within him.

The sound of his voice soothes her like nothing has and it worries her as well, the swiftness in which she has formed an attachment to him. "I know you want to get back to your life and we're almost there. I just need to get something done and sorted out and then I'll come and get you." It's not an off the cuff remark and she knows that he will take her at her word. But even though she does not have the authority to promise him that on a professional level, she's doing it anyway on a personal one.

"I was going to say that I miss you. Listen..."

"Listen." She's not sure she can handle this conversation right now and wants to cut him off, more for his sake than hers. She's not had too much practice in this department but she can guess that he's had less and she does not want to make a mistake and screw up whatever they have started building. "I have to go but I just wanted to say that I miss you too. Bye." She hangs up before she can hear his response, again not because she does not want to hear it but because she's afraid of what more she will say or promise. It's beginning to be a habit with her, this need to control herself when she's around Chuck and it does frighten her because she's beginning to fight the need, wanting to relinquish the control and give in to what she wants.

She puts away her phone, squares her shoulders and proceeds to the elevator to go down into the depths of the complex. She goes through the various security measures, each one more elaborate that the last until she reaches the final door. She knows that she does not have to do this and that both the General and Graham do not expect this of her. However, she needs to give it a shot to see if the new criteria that Stephen Bartowski had highlighted would allow her to assume the Intersect role. She finally opens the last door to see Drs. Zarnow and Busgang standing there.

"Agent Walker, are you ready?"

She sees the chair set up and the needles and only nods her acceptance as she walks towards them. It's then that she notes the third visitor in the room and is a bit taken aback. The bruises on the side of his head have darkened to a dark blue shade, his arms are crossed and he's leaning against the far wall. His eyes are following her every moment and his jaw is set.

"I wasn't aware that I'd have an audience." She does not take the chair, instead addressing the comment to Dr. Zarnow. It's then that she finally spots the cylindrical object in Zarnow's hands and she's surprised that Casey has brought it with him. She'd have thought that he would have sent it to the NSA vaults, never to be seen again, but she understands that Graham must have again stuck his neck out for her plan.

"You think that just because you brought us more information, you're off the hook." Casey had seen the message from Beckman asking him to stand down currently on Bartowski. His instincts have never been wrong and right now, every fiber of his being is telling him that the professor's involved and Blondie's protecting him. Maybe it's because of his connection to Bryce. Hell, maybe it's because she thinks he's cute and actually innocent. Casey knows that he doesn't care either way. He's been tasked with assessing the viability of the Intersect project going forward and to do that, he wants access to all available information and people.

The Intersect cube in their possession has already been studied to as much a degree as possible and Casey knows that the next step is to find a viable candidate. As lead on the project, he had no idea how or where to find such candidates and had reported back to Beckman that it was probably best to put the project on hold indefinitely. It was then that she had told him about Walker's proposal. The CIA was going to provide a list of possible candidates with no strings attached. Adding to that, they also recently acquired additional testing criteria and for that, Walker had traded her inclusion into the candidate selection as well as making Bartowski off limits. "I'm going to find out what you and that geek…"

"Nerd, actually. Chuck's more of a nerd but you couldn't tell the difference anyway and we're not hiding anything. If you want to get this project off the ground, then I'm giving you the chance to do it. I'll even play guinea pig." She knows he will relent because he has no other choice and because he wants to see her suffer a bit especially after their recent encounter. He does not respond but also does not interfere as Busgang begins to hook her up to all the monitoring equipment.

Sarah takes a deep breath, trying to control her breathing and not give any indication to Casey that this is getting to her and bringing up difficult and painful memories. She is still unsure if she is a suitable candidate going by the new testing parameters and knows that the NSA will not accept them at face value. Her only bargaining power is to test them out herself. She looks straight ahead as her hands are strapped down, addressing her final comment to Busgang. "Just finish all the tests as quickly as you can and don't stop them regardless of what might happen."

"I understand, Agent Walker. Although the testing parameters laid out in your document are less about the pain threshold and more along the lines of brain activity mapping. With the cube that the Major has provided us, we should also be able to run the additional compatibility tests as well. I can't promise you a painless experience but it is definitely different from your initial tests." She nods at his words and closes her eyes, not wanting to see Casey's face or the machines surrounding her. Instead, she thinks about the one person whom she should not be thinking about, but her psyche tends to do that more and more often as images of Chuck run through her mind. She misses his smile so much and hopes that she'll be able to see it again soon.

**Ballarat, California, 9.15 am, 5****th**** April 2009**

It's become somewhat of a ritual with Chuck these past few days, to take a walk round the property and get his thoughts straight before leaving a message for Sarah. He knows that what they have is unconventional and really cannot be considered a relationship of sorts, although he knows that it is definitely a start of one. He hasn't stopped thinking about her since she left and knows that he really wants to see her again even if it's just for a short time. Her call had been quite welcomed and he had loved hearing her voice, especially the part where she had acknowledged that she missed him too. It had cemented the fact that what they were feeling was mutual and not a figment of his imagination.

He's so caught up in these thoughts that he does not notice the plume of smoke coming from the direction of his dad's trailer. It's only when he finally looks up, does he see the two vehicles parked haphazardly in the distance. He knows that he can run and that he has a marginal chance of evading capture. However, he is worried about his father and due to this equivocation he knows that he has been spotted as he sees three people running towards him, guns pointed straight in his direction.

Chuck takes his phone out and knows that he has only one chance to send a message to Sarah. He turns and runs, knowing that they will shoot to scare him but probably not kill him considering that they haven't thus far. He dials her number and holds it up to his ear as he hears the call put through. "Fulcrum's here. I think they have my dad and I'm not going to hide. I'll try and send you a message wherever they take me but if I can't, if anything happens…" He hears the shots in the background and sees the bullets hit close to where he is but he keeps on running. "If anything happens to me, please make sure Ellie's safe and please take care of yourself. I..." He hears the men fast approaching and does not want them to know of his connection with Sarah so he quickly takes out the SIM card from the phone and drops it by the wayside. He changes directions only to have them fire directly at his feet causing him to stumble and fall hard, his temple hitting a small outcrop of rocks, drawing blood.

"I wouldn't get up if I were you." The voice is familiar and Chuck sees Vincent Smith hover into view, his gun aimed directly at his chest.

"What do you want?" Chuck sounds braver than he actually feels but he knows that it's partly fuelled by the fact that he has sent a message to Sarah and he knows that if he manages to send another, she'll do her utmost to save him.

He does not get an answer; instead, all he sees is Vincent raising his gun, bringing it down in an arc towards his head. The impact is painful and disorienting but he does not lose consciousness as he is dragged back towards the trailer.

He can see the blood dripping on the ground, from the open gash at the side of his head but cannot swipe at it as he is pulled along the road, his hands held at either side.

"Is he conscious? Did you hurt him?" He does not expect to hear her voice and does not look up, not wanting to acknowledge Jill, although he is surprised at the emotion in her voice as she asks the second question.

"Relax; he's none the worse for wear. Where's the old man?"

It's only then that Chuck reacts as he raises his head and shouts, "Dad, are you ok?" He stares balefully at Jill as he directs the next question at her, "What have you done to my father?" He can see that the trailer's on fire but no sign of his dad.

"That's really up to you." She had been surprised when they had received a tip as to where Chuck had gone to ground. Even more so when she found out who had provided the tip in the first place, as she looks to the side to see Stephen Bartowski standing there, looking down as a gun is held to his head. "Your father was kind enough to tell us that you were here although he wasn't really sure if you would come willingly."

Chuck's not sure if the blow to his head has also affected his hearing as he strains to look up. It's only when he sees the defeated look in his dad's eyes does he believe that what Jill had said may actually be true. "Dad?" He does not like the hurt conveyed in his voice.

Stephen Bartowski looks at his son and does not look away although it pains him to do so. Every decision he has made since he got involved with Fulcrum has always been for the benefit and safety of his family, although he's beginning to see that there really isn't a way out ever since Chuck got involved. He's managed to avoid one disaster by removing the Fulcrum Intersect from his son's head. However, their discussions that they've been having over the past few days have proven beyond a doubt that although Charles did not know it, his research was being used by Fulcrum and with George's demise, it was only a matter of time before they would assimilate Charles completely whether he wanted to or not.

That was how they had ensnared him in the beginning. The work he had done had been cutting edge, although not everyone believed in it. However, George and Ted had, and unbeknownst to him, they had funneled his work towards Fulcrum. When he had found out, he had thrown a fit and threatened to go to the authorities but it had been too late. They had threatened Fay and the kids. He had equivocated in the beginning and they had killed his wife even after he sent her away. However, it had only been the start and eventually he had to disappear himself, severing all ties with his children in order to protect them. He knows that he does not want this life for Charles.

"Charles, don't fight this. You're not going to win." His voice has just the right amount of defeat in it and he can see Vincent smile. "You need to go with them." He looks directly at his son now, gaze unblinking and shoulders straight as he reaches out to touch his head, surreptitiously placing the small tracer just behind his son's ear.

It's then that Chuck understands that there is more to this than his dad's seeming betrayal of him and he nods. "Fine but my dad is left out of this. I'll go with you but just leave my dad out of this." He does not have time to say goodbye as he feels the pinprick of a needle in his arm.

He sees his dad's concerned face and wants to tell him everything would be fine as long as he tells Sarah where he is but no words come out of his mouth as he loses consciousness and falls to the ground.

**Claude Moore Colonial Farm, Langley, 8.17 pm, 5****th**** April 2009**

Sarah knows that she's in effect trespassing although it's never stopped her before. The Farm has only recently opened again from its winter close and she can see that work has already started in preparing for the Spring Fair and the upcoming planting season. She does not like staying indoors and escapes here every chance she has. It's weird that she's never really been exposed to farm life until she joined the CIA and found this place.

All the volunteers tend to leave by five and she normally is able to walk about uninterrupted which suits her purposes just fine considering all she wants is the peace and quiet to finally relax and listen to Chuck's messages. The tests today were not difficult or that painful although her headache is still persistent. Zarnow had given her a prescription but she does not want to dull her senses, at least not before she hears Chuck's voice. To be honest, she's also a little relieved that not only are the tests over but the results have also confirmed that she is not a compatible candidate and would never have been. In hindsight, neither was Bryce and it is something that she will always regret although she knows that he did it because it was the right thing to do and despite all the issues, he did save lives because of it, including her own.

She goes to the big oak tree and settles beneath it before taking out her phone and dialing the messaging service. She leans back, eyes closed as she enters her password and listens to the newest message. She hears the time stamp but is surprised as the panic in his voice is evident and it hits her as she jolts upright. She listens to his entire message, her face grim as she hears the gunshots in the background and can visualize him dodging the bullets. She hears his sentence cut off abruptly as her hand grips the phone in a vise.

She knows that it cannot be so simple but she calls his cell anyway, only to hear the recorded message informing her that the subscriber is not available. Sarah does not like the choice she has to make but knows that it's her only one. She tries his cell one last time although she already has made up her mind as she walks back to the main path. She feels like running knowing that Chuck has already been captured and probably taken to any number of facilities either within the U.S. or abroad. She knows she needs information on Fulcrum and that she could try and get it out of Mauser. However, even with the chemically induced techniques that the CIA had perfected, it was obvious that he only had a limited amount of information, none of which would be useful to her.

Sarah knows that there was only one way to get a full understanding of Fulcrum and it scares her to even contemplate it, although deep down, she knows that her mind is already made up.

**CIA Headquarters, Langley Virginia, 8.53 pm, 5****th**** April 2009**

She flashes her badge to the night guards as she enters the west wing, making her way to the underground lab. She had overheard Casey informing Zarnow that he would collect the cube after their tests and prays that it has not already occurred. Her badge grants her easy access to the lab but she knows that she still needs to avoid any of the doctors or agents that are still milling about as she ducks into a small janitorial closet when she hears voices coming from round the corner.

She's cautious enough to wait a few minutes more after the voices have faded before exiting and continuing on her way. It's only when she reaches the final door does she pause to gather her thoughts. It's not that she is questioning her decision but more along the lines of weighing the consequences of making the decision knowing that she may not be able to ever turn back. Still, she has only one reason in her mind that fully spurs her on as she recalls the frightened voice of Chuck.

Thankfully the cube is still there, already hooked up to the computer monitors. She knows the procedure by heart although she's never witnessed it, only learning of it through the records and intel she'd been privy too. Sarah sits in front of the largest screen and slowly scrolls through the program directory, scanning for the activation sequence. She knows that each one is different, although she can recognize the signature. She finally spots it but does not press the enter key yet as she just stares at the screen.

Bravery has never been a foreign concept to her and she understands that her current decision is not so much brave as it is fatalistic. She really does not want to die but she knows that if she does not do this, it was very likely that a good man would die and she cannot bet on Chuck's life, so she finally hits the enter key and her view is filled with millions of images presented as a collage, scrolling faster and faster in front of her.

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Casey has never liked working out of Langley but his debriefing of the doctors had taken longer than expected. At least he was finally able to obtain the new list of potential Intersect candidates all culled from NSA ranks. It's just a start though, their test scores need to be compared to Walker's who had not been a hundred per cent compatible but would be used as a base comparison. He whistles as he enters the code and swipes his access card to the lab.

He's surprised to see the computers running although most of the lights are still switched off. However, what surprises him the most is the fact that Walker's slumped forward at the desk, the screen before her highlighting the words, download complete.

"Son of a bitch!" He says the words out loud as he rushes into the room. The cube is still intact but it was obvious that she had run the program although he has no idea why. She had been there when Busgang had confirmed that although she was a good candidate, it was still not a perfect fit and like Bryce before her, it would begin to malfunction in her head. Unless he had misread her and she was the one with a death wish and not her partner, he could not fathom why she would do such a thing.

"Walker," he calls her name as he touches her shoulder. Casey's very tempted to just call the guards at the front desk and have her arrested for stealing NSA property. However, he's also a bit curious as to why a decorated agent has been acting so weird. One obvious possibility was that she's been turned by Fulcrum and had been tasked with doing this. He does not take any chances as he thinks of this and he takes out his gun and hand cuffs one of her arms to the chair she is slumped in.

Sarah can hear her name as if being called from a distance and it's not an unfamiliar feeling. The Intersect testing had left her in a similar state although the current pain in her head is so much worse than compared to the testing. She knows that she has succeeded in downloading the Intersect although she can also sense how wrong it feels in her head. She blinks her eyes open and sees Casey's face come into view. The flash hits her so fast and furious that her head slams backwards as images scroll through her mind. It's nothing like the tingly sensation Chuck described but more like a cold hand squeezing the base of her brain in a vise like grip.

Casey had never really seen a flash up close. He had seen the tapes of some of Bryce's flashes but they had never been this obvious until they started to malfunction. He wants to hold her down but it passes relatively quickly, leaving her dazed and bleeding from her nose.

She's breathing hard and wipes the blood with the back of her free hand. "Sugar Bear?" It's the one codename of his that stuck out, along with his service record and the recruitment order from Fulcrum sent to an Ilsa Trinchina.

"That's classified." It's more than that to him but he does not want to dredge up those memories without a big bottle of scotch to blunt the pain.

"She tried to recruit you?" Sarah poses it as a question, although she already knows the answer as well as the outcome.

"She failed." He stares at her not wanting her to say anything else but also hoping that perhaps she has the answer he has been searching for. However, Sarah remains silent and he takes out his cell phone, already dialing the general.

"Wait, please." It's the desperation in her voice that stops his fingers from completing the call.

"You stole NSA property and are now privy to Fulcrum secrets. Why?" It's a simple question and he's willing to bet that there is no simple answer although he's proven wrong with her next words.

"Fulcrum has taken Chuck Bartowski and I promised to keep him safe. This was the only way I could get access to all of Fulcrum's information." She can see that she's at least stopped him from making his call as he stares at her surprised at her answer.

"So the guy you've been keeping from me has been taken and now you're what? Asking me to let you go?" The incredulity in his voice is evident. "The only place you're going is to NSA lockup until General Beckman decides what to do with you and the information in your head."

"No, Casey, listen." The pain has not really diminished and she has to pause and shut her eyes until the worse passes. "I just need a few days. I know where he was taken from and can try and track him down and bring down the Fulcrum base he would be held in." There is some desperation in her voice although she tries to mask it as best as she can. "Please." She has never made a promise she didn't fight to keep, "I promise I'll turn myself in, do whatever the NSA wants. I just need to save him."

Casey knows that he just has to connect the call to end Walker's career. However, her dedication resonates within him and he makes his decision relatively quickly, based on the fact that he really wants to bring the fight to Fulcrum and not keep working from afar via Intersects and the like. He knows that is what Walker is offering to him and he does not want to give up the chance to get revenge for Pete and Ilsa. "Two days and you're not getting out of my sight. We take down their base if you can find it and him. If you can't within the forty eight hours, you're NSA property until you die." He's not fully kidding as he sees the blood still flowing out of her nose.

**The End **

**Poll for Chapter 9**

**A)All those in favor of a Sugar Bear flashback say aye!**

**B)Sarah downloading the Intersect – Predictable/Did not see that coming?**

**C)Does this count as the start of Team Bartowski?**

**D)Have you read mxpw's stories? Yes/Will read them now/How Many times:)**


	10. Never Killed Anyone?

**A/ N – Firstly, I am sorry for the wait between chapters. I really enjoy writing this but am having trouble finding the time to do so. I will continue and finish this but would ask for your patience. Thanks as always to mxpw for sparing time to beta this for me and picking up the fact that I now have reduced my reliance on the word 'although' but have transferred it to the word 'just'!!**

**The Inevitable Life of Chuck Bartowski**

**Chapter 10 Never Killed Anyone?**

_**Bratislava, Slovakia 3.18am, July 22**__**nd**__** 2006**_

_Casey's running at full speed despite carrying Ilsa's over his shoulder. He knows that he should just shoot her in the head and dump her body by the side of the road, but he cannot bring himself to do either. She's still unconscious from his blow and it's the only thing that prevents him from stopping and screaming at her for betraying him. Deep down, he knows that she had not really betrayed him, not in the end. However, her offer to him had proven that even if she really loved him, and he does not believe that anymore, she really didn't know him at all._

_He hears a car turn off the main road and crouches down by the side of the road, the bushes providing just enough cover as he lays Ilsa on the ground next to him. He sees two men get out of the car and he's so intent on trying to hear their conversation that he does not see her wake. She touches him on the arm and he almost lashes out, his fist only stopping inches from her face. He does not react as he sees her recoil although it does affect him. However he's hardened himself to her antics and cannot afford to let her know that she's still in his heart. "One word and I'll kill you right here." He does not look at her when he says this, instead still keeping his eyes on the two Fulcrum agents._

_She wants to touch him again even though she knows he will hit her if she does. Ilsa knows that she has a decision to make right now and that his life depends on it. She had hoped that it would have turned out differently and that he would have accepted their offer. The problem was that even from the beginning, she knew what type of man he was and that he would never be swayed by her or anyone else. She had made the offer, knowing he would never accept and that he would never forgive her either. "I'm sorry, John. I hope you'll forgive me eventually." She does not touch him even though she knows it may be her last chance._

_Casey doesn't expect her words or her actions and he tries to catch her hand when she runs past him, towards the men on the road. He hears them shout and sees their raised guns and he's about to make a move when he hears her next words. "He's driving towards the Hungarian border. We need to cut him off. Hurry." She doesn't look back as she leads the men away and he waits for five minutes just in case. He tells himself its precautionary but deep down he knows that he's giving her one chance to come back._

_Casey doesn't look back either after the time passes, instead he concentrates on putting one foot in front of the other as he runs in the opposite direction. He does not flinch when he hears the report of gunfire in the distance._

**Ballarat, California, 11.15 pm, 6****th**** April 2009**

Sarah's quite sure that the pounding headache is equal parts due to the Intersect download and her worry for Chuck's safety. It had taken a huge effort on her part to close her eyes and try and get some rest on the flight over, and even then it had been a fitful rest at best. She had played his message for Casey and can still hear his voice in her head. He had tried to put up a brave front and asked her to look out for his sister. However, it was his unfinished sentence that plagues her currently. Both her heart and her head are in agreement for the first time in such a long while that she's sure of Chuck's feelings even if he never got to say the words. She does want to hear them though and it gives her further impetus to fight through the pain, both without and within. She directs Casey towards the final turn off the dusty road and is taken aback as she sees plumes of smoke rising from Stephen Bartowski's smoking wreck of a trailer, in the distance.

"Who lived here?" Casey had given her a small reprieve during the flight and accepted her explanation that they were going to the place where she had stashed Bartowski. However, he can see the burnt out trailer and figures that whoever it was that Bartowski had sought refuge with, would not have been kept alive by Fulcrum.

"His father." Her knuckles are white against black door handle and she pushes open the door even before Casey can fully stop the car. She knows that she should never second guess her decisions and that it's the start of a slippery slope down to total self doubt, which would eventually get her killed. However, she cannot help but think that if she had stayed, Chuck would still be here and so would his father.

Stephen Bartowski had spotted them as soon as they turned off the main road onto his property about five miles back. He had known that she would come but did not expect the speed she had managed to achieve. Luckily for him, he had already planned ahead once he had made the call to Fulcrum. All he needed now was a way in and that would definitely come from Sarah. With her help, he would be able to finally get his revenge on Fulcrum and ensure that they pay for what they had done. He knows that he is playing a dangerous game with all their lives but he's so sure that this is the way to finally end it. All he needs is a way in.

"Sarah?" His voice is surprisingly strong and when she turns around, she can see that apart from looking as if he'd aged ten years in the past week, he has not a mark on him. It's not her suspicious nature that is triggered but the Intersect in her head as she flashes for the second time.

_Apple IIe_

_Electrical schematics_

_Wedding picture_

_Autopsy report_

_Fulcrum phone records_

_Computer codes_

_Electronic key pad_

_Apple IIe_

Her gun is out and pointed towards Stephen Bartowski even though she can barely keep it straight.

"Where did they take him, you son of a bitch?" She can see that Casey also has his gun out and is glad for the support considering that she can barely see, let alone shoot straight. Stephen had told them that he had not been in Fulcrum's grasp since he left his family but her flash had showed that he had contacted and been contacted by Fulcrum in recent years.

"They would have not stopped looking for him." He has the decency to look guilty although she still cannot understand how he could have just given his son up without a fight.

"He trusted you." Her voice is raw with anger and pain. Her finger is on the trigger and she sights the barrel at his head.

"They would have found him and killed those he loved just to ensure his co-operation." Stephen Bartowski speaks with the tone of someone who has had the experience.

"The CIA.." She begins to argue but he cuts her off because he knows the truth. She may want to save Charles with all her being but her organization would always have different goals. The mission would always take precedence over the people.

"They could not do anything to save my wife. Fulcrum has spies everywhere and you can't stop them from the outside." Stephen sighs as he turns around only to be confronted by the brute of a man that had come with Agent Walker.

"You have a way in?" The question is asked despite the fact that he can see the man does not believe him.

"I may have a location but I think Agent Walker will have the codes in. At least she should if I'm right and she has just experienced a flash." He had been sure that Sarah would come back and that it would have been easy to convince her to rescue Charles and finish Fulcrum off. Her sense of duty to her country and her noticeable attachment to Charles were obvious. However, he had misjudged her link to his son and he had not expected her to put her life on the line and download the Intersect herself. "You're taking a dangerous path." He looks straight at Sarah and can see that she's already affected. "How bad is the pain?"

"I can manage. Where did they take Chuck?" Sarah's not really lying and can overcome the pain in her head. What she's most afraid of is not overcoming the pain of actually losing Chuck even before they can start something real. She still does not trust Casey and definitely not Stephen Bartowski. However, right now, they are the two people who can help her save Chuck. She sees Casey's skeptical look but is glad that he has chosen to remain silent thus allowing Stephen to answer her question.

"Las Vegas."

_**Brentwood, Los Angeles, 4.23pm, 12**__**th**__** October 1989**_

"_Charles's teacher called again. She really feels that he should do the advance placement tests." Fay Bartowski is a beautiful petite brunette who had met Stephen on her first day of college and had never been able to get rid of him since. She loves her life and her two beautiful children and has never questioned his decisions __whether it was to move to California or to work on his own projects. Even though it meant less time with her and the kids, she still encouraged him.__ She has never questioned or doubted him but this past year has taken its toll on both of them. She knows that he is in some kind of trouble but that he is still trying his best to shield her and the kids from any of it._

"_No." His voice is sharp and he hates the sound of it and the effect it has on his wife but Stephen Bartowski is slowly beginning to unravel. His hubris is finally catching up with him, causing him to actually contemplate disappearing in order to save his family. They already have their sights on Fay and he cannot afford to let them find out about Charles's abilities as well._

_She can see the lines of worry that seem to have appeared overnight and touches his face, wanting him to just tell her the truth and allow her to at least try and help him with whatever he has been caught up in. "Just tell me. We'll get through this but you need to let me in." She can see him debating with himself internally but does not back down as she continues to look into his eyes until he finally relents._

"_I'm so sorry. I never thought it would be this bad. I didn't think that they would be so dangerous. You need to go away and get things ready. I'll send the kids to you and after I do this last thing, I'll meet you. We need to start fresh someplace else." He's crying as he finishes and can see that he has scared her. _

_She had not expected it to be this bad but she had promised to accept him in good times and in bad and will not go against her vows. "Ok, just tell me what you need me to do."_

_He can hear the love in her voice and is relieved that she is still there for him. Stephen thinks that perhaps he really does have a chance in fixing this and getting out of Fulcrum's grasp. They had threatened his family and he knows he needs to get Fay away first and she'll be able to lay the ground work to their new life. He's sure that he would be able to outsmart them and disappear completely from their radar._

**I40 Highway to Las Vegas , 12.21pm, 6****th**** April 2009**

She does not expect Chuck's father to justify his actions or tell her about his wife but he does so anyway and although she cannot condone his act of betrayal, she does understand his need for revenge. "Did Ellie or Chuck know that it wasn't an accident? That their mother was murdered?" She sees him close his eyes at her choice of words but ignores his pain in lieu of her own.

"No. I wanted to shield them as much as possible. I had to tell them the day after Christmas." Stephen wishes that he can only remember the good parts but his eidetic memory does not ever relent and he can still recall holding her as the warmth left her body, her life blood flowing from the two bullet holes.

Casey has no interest in offering comfort although he knows that he needs both of these people to be at their best if they were to have even a smidgen of a chance in taking down Fulcrum. "One thing I've learnt," he looks into the rear view mirror and sees both Walker and Bartowski's eyes on him, before he continues, "You don't spend your time regretting the past; you spend your present making up for it." He sees the old man nod and Walker's jaw more set than before and he knows his point has been taken.

"So where exactly are we heading to in Vegas?" It's a city that he doesn't particularly like and it does not surprise him that Fulcrum has a base there. He does enjoy a good poker game but it's the excess lifestyle that Vegas promotes that gets to him. Casey's life view is elegant in its simplicity, love of country dominates and everything else falls into place. So although he does not like Vegas, he hates Fulcrum more and will do everything in his power to bring them down and protect a city he will not spend more time in than he needs to.

"Chuck's tracker indicates The Sahara." Stephen looks at his wristpad and even though he does not see the blinking dot anymore, he does not say anything, knowing deep down, that his son is still alive. "They'll be expecting us." He knows that he needs to warn them just in case.

"Why?" Sarah's eyes narrow as she looks at him. "What are you not telling us?" She still does not understand how Stephen Bartowski could have just turned his son in. Rationally, she knows that his choice had been made out of misplaced distrust in her organization and that the loss of his wife has colored his view on their ability to help. However, she does not accept the fact that he has played with Chuck's life in this instance. "If anything happens to Chuck.." she begins to threaten.

"He's my son and I'll pull the trigger myself if anything happens to him. I think they found the tracer I put on him. It hasn't been responding for some time. It disappeared in the vicinity of The Sahara though, 2533, Las Vegas Boulevard."

The flash hits her unexpectedly and she's propelled forward, her seat belt straining to hold her in place. The images are a jumble in her head and she cannot seem to grasp any single one let alone make any sense of them in totality because of the extent of the accompanying pain.

"Breathe, just breathe." She can hear his voice and wishes that it were Chuck's instead. Just thinking about him centers her enough to allow her to review the information garnered from her flash. "86912 is the entry code to the base. It's located in the underground car park and it's their main research facility. If we take it down, they'll be crippled." Her mind is already formulating a plan for entry and she knows that she does not have a lot of time as she feels the onset of her nosebleed starting.

"It's only going to get worse." She can hear the pity in Stephen's voice and can see that Casey is also looking at her through the rear view mirror. She does not want their pity and has accepted the fact that her choice is the right one.

"I've had worse." Her answer is part bravado and part conceit that she can survive long enough to save Chuck and possibly have it removed without permanent damage. "We need it to save Chuck."

Stephen finally understands her motivation and realizes that she truly does have feelings for his son and has put her life on the line without any qualms. He is worried though because her reaction to the flashes is too extreme and point towards a faster deterioration than normal. "Where did you get the Intersect from?" It's classified information that she cannot share so she keeps quiet.

Stephen knows that apart from Fleming, Zarnow was the only other person capable of continuing his work. However, the intensity of the lashes and the possible nerve deterioration all point to the Beta version that Roark had provided Fulcrum with before his improvements. It would cause the nosebleeds and malfunction not only due to host incompatibility but also due to the fact that it was simply a badly coded Intersect. He wants to tell her this but can see that once again she's closed herself off.

"As long as you're not experiencing constant pain even if you're not flashing, it'll be fine." He touches her hand briefly, wanting to thank her for her sacrifice and trying to convey that he will help her. He's not sure of the NSA's involvement but can see that Casey has kept a close eye on not only on him, but also on Sarah. There are undercurrents there of something more that he has not been able to decipher just yet.

Sarah does not react to his touch or his words, her mind focusing on the current assignment of saving Chuck. She also does not let slip that it may already be too late for her as she can still feel the pain in the base of her skull despite only flashing a handful of times.

"I'm calling in for an assault team so be prepared when we get there." Casey can see that she's about to protest but changes her mind at the last second.

Sarah knows that storming the base would give them the best opportunity to cripple their research facility but she also realizes that it would put Chuck in the line of fire and she does not want to take that chance. She still has a couple of hours to go through the information in her head and knows that with the right plan, she can convince Casey that she has a better alternative. So, instead of arguing currently, she closes her eyes, ignores the pain and slowly reviews the pieces of information she had flashed on.

**Fulcrum Research base, Las Vegas, 12.21pm, 6****th**** April 2009**

Chuck had tried to memorize as much of the base's details as he could, using the bathroom breaks to look at different sections and committing them to memory. Vincent had still been seething about his con a few days ago and had made his hatred known in the drive over, when he had hit him again to knock him out just for the spite of it. He had only regained consciousness after they carried him into the base and for the life of him, does not know where exactly it's located.

Since then, he had been chained, literally to a desk in one of the containment rooms and made to piece together the huge quantity of code that Fleming had given to Jill. He knows he can put it together relatively easily but in doing so, he would be providing Fulcrum with a weapon to use against the CIA and definitely against Sarah. He does not consider himself brave in any way and he had been so relieved to get rid of the Intersect. However, Chuck can see that as soon as he finishes with the program, not only would Fulcrum win, but he would be killed as well. Because of that, he realizes that he needs to plan on his own and ensure that even if he does not survive, Fulcrum will not get their hands on the Intersect. He hears the door bang open and sees Vincent storming over to where he's been shackled and quickly looks back at the monitors in front of him.

"What do you mean you can't get it to work?" Vincent's voice is low and menacing and Chuck is trying his best to ignore the implied threat in his words as he formulates an answer in his head. He's been stalling for quite some time and knows that it would eventually be found out. He can fill in the gaps in the program as well as initiate the Intersect for use. However, the main reason he has been stalling is the fact that the data architecture of the program has changed somewhat from the one he was familiar with and he has actually been spending his time trying to decipher the changes as oppose to writing the missing code.

"The full source code is not here. I can fix the initialization part but without this part and this whole other chunk of code-..." He points to the third screen from the left and the second screen from the bottom, "the program can't be run even if I correct the mistakes." He flinches when Vincent pushes two of the monitors to the ground and slams his hand on the table. It's only when he feels himself being lifted by the front of his shirt does he protest.

"Hey, hey, don't kill the messenger." Chuck's back is pressed against the corner of the metal table and he can feel it biting into his skin. "I can write it, the missing code but I need more time." He chokes out the last word as Vincent's hand wraps around his throat. The fingers curled tight and Chuck cannot talk, let alone breathe. He thinks perhaps Vincent has finally snapped and has decided to kill him and the only thought in his mind is his overwhelming regret in not finishing his last words to Sarah during his aborted phone call. He can feel himself just about to lose consciousness only to finally feel Vincent's fingers release.

"I don't like to be played and you don't get another warning." Chuck doubles over as Vincent punches him in the gut and follows up with a right hook to his jaw, causing his lip to split. "Get to work, you have twelve hours." Vincent has always taken his career seriously, even giving up Jill in order to advance within the organization. He cannot forget the fact that Bartowski had tricked him into not killing Sarah Walker last week and how it had reflected badly on him to his superiors. To be honest with himself, he's also tempted to kill Chuck because he can see that Jill is still somewhat affected by him. He passes by Jill, knowing that she's probably going to see Chuck and as much as he wants to stop her, he does not, knowing that he will be the one to pull the trigger on Bartow ski. It's the only thing that he is looking forward to.

Chuck is still bent over trying to catch his breath when he hears her voice as she approaches, "He means it, you know." Chuck does not want to look at her and instead slowly uses the chair to support his weight as he gets up and faces the computer screens once again. He can see her reflection in them but chooses to ignore her.

"Can you really finish the code?" She sounds worried and it angers him that he still feels compelled to answer her.

"Why do you care, unless they're going to kill you too, if I don't?" It's a throwaway line on his part, although her lack of response and defeated look tells him that he is not far off in his prediction. He had seen her interact with Vincent and knows that they have something between them. "Let me get this straight, he has an order to kill me if I can't finish this program in time and what, you get killed too because your boyfriend is too trigger happy?" Chuck finally turns to look at Jill and can see that she's actually serious. "Why would they kill you?"

"They don't have to." She does not know what compels her to talk to him but she knows that she has one chance to confess and try and make him understand that she hasn't had much choice in her life since she got kicked out of Stanford. "I have that program in my head." She points to the screen. "Or at least an older version of it. Anyway, its side-effects are not always nice." She holds up her cane as proof. "Fleming was working on an upgrade when he was killed. It was supposed to have been able to stop the nerve degeneration because of new input from other sources." She focuses back on the code on the screen, wondering not for the first time, how such mundane looking script could ruin her life beyond all recognition.

He does not know if he'll ever believe what she tells him but for the first time since meeting her again, Chuck can finally recognize the girl he had tutored and fallen for. "Why not just remove it?" He can hear Sarah's voice in his head admonishing him for carrying the conversation further and possibly giving away information. And although it's a welcome relief to hear her voice even if it was only in his head, he ignores it because he can see Jill's trying to tell him something.

The resignation in her voice is palpable, "It's not possible. Don't you think they would have tried? That upgrade is my only chance." She really does not want to face the prospect of paralysis or death and is willing to barter her life for her continued service to Fulcrum.

"What if….. Chuck looks at her again, debating with the Sarah voice in his head.

"What if?" Jill looks at him and is clearly waiting for his question.

"What if…..you just let me go, if I can fix the code?" He had promised Sarah that he would trust her no matter what and he knows that he cannot break that promise. He sees the pity in Jill's face and finally gets that it's too late for her. That even though he wants to try and save her, it's too late and he just needs to do anything he can to stay alive long enough, because deep down, he's certain that Sarah's coming for him. He also finally accepts that he too has a role to play here and that the Intersect program he has access to cannot ever be left in the hands of Fulcrum.

"Chuck….I….." She reaches out to touch his hand only to have him move back, his chair finally stopping because of the chain around his ankle.

"No, don't….I…..I mean you have to do your job right? I'll work on this until time runs out." He turns towards the computer and starts to type. He understands the symbols and numbers on the screens so well and looks so comfortable with it that his other act of sending pings to the servers to see if he has a line out, goes unnoticed. He hopes that when he does find a hole in their network, his message out to his dad will also get to Sarah.

He hears Jill making her way to the door, finally exiting and he does not acknowledge her or the sound of the key turning in the lock.

**Outskirts of Las Vegas, Nevada, 4.02pm, 6****th**** April 2009**

"You want me to what?" Casey takes the first off ramp he sees and brings the car to a stop at the nearest truck stop, before turning around to confront Sarah.

She can see that he's angry and is barely holding it in check but she needs to convince him that he cannot activate an all out assault on Fulcrum's base and that the plan that she has just cobbled together would be their best and only bet in minimizing any collateral damage on their end. "Our main objective is to ensure Chuck Bartowski's safety." She wants to appear professional in front of him although she can tell that he's seen right through her.

"My main objective is to bring down Fulcrum at all costs. And unless you've forgotten, you are still under arrest for stealing government property. You are here at my behest and I can have that order rescinded immediately." He wants to haul her out of the car and pound some sense into her but her words stop him cold.

"He's too valuable to be considered collateral damage." She sees Stephen looking intently at her and she knows that he's warning her not to say anything more but she needs to do this in order to ensure that Chuck stands a shot in coming out of this alive and whole. "He's our only link to Fleming and if he's alive, he'll have tried to absorb as much information on Fulcrum, as possible. You don't trust the information from the Intersect but should be able to trust a Stanford Professor with an eidetic memory."

He has to admit that she has a point but even he can tell that she is reacting badly to the flashes. "So your big plan is for me to bring you in as a captured agent?"

Sarah knows that there is still a kill order out on her head and any Fulcrum agent would need to check in to get final approval before pulling the trigger. She also knows that Casey was still a recruitment target for Fulcrum. "Their hierarchy seems to be different from ours. It's shrouded behind code names with as little human interaction as possible. With the right codes, they wouldn't know that you're really not one of them." It's a relatively simple plan to gain access into the compound, find Chuck and activate the assault team as soon as they are clear.

"Why pretend to be a prisoner?"

It's Stephen who answers for her, "The base could be huge, miles of tunnels. Prisoners tend to be taken to the same holding areas. It's the fastest way to Charles and I think he's trying to contact us." He shows them his wrist computer.

"It's also the fastest way to get killed for him and for you." Casey wonders not for the first time, if Walker really has a death wish like her dead partner. He cannot comprehend putting one person's life above the mission specs.

"Chuck didn't sign up for this and I did. We're the professionals here and part of our job is to protect people like him." Her voice is impassioned but she can see that it does not sway Casey. "They put a termination order on Ilsa because she could not turn you. Her last file entry was three years ago" She does not want to tell him this to hurt him but to show that she does not want to make the same choices he has.

Casey is clenching his jaw so tightly that Sarah can see his pulse point at his temple. "We can stop them once and for all but we need Chuck alive." Her voice is soft and filled with determination and even though Casey does not say anything, his actions speak for themselves as he starts the engine and takes out his cell phone to make the call.

**Main Control Room, Fulcrum Research base, Las Vegas, 4.03pm, 6****th**** April 2009**

"He seems to be working very hard on the program." Vincent looks at Jill as he says this, wanting to gauge her reaction. He had caught the last part of their conversation and he's been holding his anger in check ever since. He had seen her reaction to the prisoner and it galled him that she had treated him different from what he had expected. "Perhaps your sob story has worked." He does not want to hurt her but knows that perhaps it's for the best, in order to get her focused again on her job. He grabs her hand as she turns to walk away. "Don't ever go back down there without my consent." It's both a threat and a warning of things to come.

Jill can feel his hand clamped around hers but she does not struggle, realizing the futility of doing anything else except nodding her consent. She needs Chuck to finish the program but she also knows that when he does, Vincent will kill him without any hesitation. "Will you let him finish the program?" She hates that her voice is weak and pleading and that it's not an act on her part.

He does have feelings for her and really does not want her to die unnecessarily. It's just that he has such clarity about their situation that she does not seem to fully understand. "Of course. The upgrade is vital in ensuring Fulcrum's posterity. You will be so much stronger with it." She can see the maniacal gleam in his eyes and finally understands that it's never really been about her but about the Intersect within her. She wishes she felt more bereft but understands that she had long been conditioned not to.

"I'll check on his progress. You can take over here." She knows that he's going to threaten, or worse, beat Chuck up and that she cannot stop it from happening as she sits in his vacated seat. She holds her tongue as she settles into the chair and just stares at the monitors in front of her, each showing various parts of the base. She knows that this is Vincent's way of apologizing for his earlier outburst and she readily accepts it for want of anything better.

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Chuck knows that he will have only once chance to activate the program and remove it from Fulcrum's databases. His Morse coded pings to his dad have also gone unanswered although he only managed to send them though an hour or so ago. He prays that Sarah is on her way although he's also frightened that in saving him, she would be putting her life in danger. He's so intent on finishing the program and sending the messages out that he does not notice Vincent's entry into the room until his chair is violently turned around.

"You think you can turn her?" Chuck is pretty sure that he's referring to Jill and that the question is purely rhetorical because Vincent does not need a reason to hurt him. He tries to avoid the blow but it catches him on the side of his head and he's slammed backwards in the chair. The next two blows send him tumbling to the ground, his chair falling over him because of the manacle around his leg. It's only after the first kick to his back, does Chuck respond, hoping to end the beating.

"No, I'm…sorry, no…" He sees Vincent's gun pointing at him and sees the flash from the muzzle, the only thought crossing his mind is of regret at never being able to see Sarah again.

**The End**

**Ok, the inevitable poll questions are**

**1) Have you spotted the tiny Star Wars homage? **

**2) Sarah has a plan, Casey has a plan, Stephen has a plan and Chuck has a plan. How d you think it's all going to come together? **

**3) So someone is going to die in the next Chapter, any guesses?**

**4) I do love Chuck and hope it will come back soon. However, I have found Glee to be quite entertaining :)**** What are you watching?**


	11. Action Speaks

**A/N – I think I will have to preface most of my chapters with an apology for the length of time between postings. So I am sorry but I do hope you still are reading and interested in this story. Mxpw has been great and also a bit ill this week so I have to doubly thank him for beta'ing despite that (and hope he does not get a relapse due to my spelling and lack of contraction usage).**

**I hope you enjoy the chapter.**

**The Inevitable Life of Chuck Bartowski**

**Chapter 11 Action Speaks**

_**Brentwood, Los Angeles, 6.15 pm August 4**__**th**__** 1988**_

"_No way!" Chuck cannot hide the incredulity from his voice. He loves Morgan like a brother but sometimes, he just does not understand how he can come up with such stories. It's not that he does not believe him but more that this one sounds too good to be true._

"_Yes, way. My cousin Tim says that it really works. And he's graduating junior high so he knows what he's saying." Morgan's standing by the window of the tree house hoping to catch a glimpse of Ellie. If he turns his head just right, he can just about see her window from here. The last time, he got a look of her arm as she reached out to adjust the curtains and it was awesome._

"_So all we have to do is close our eyes, picture the girl and count to twenty?" The last time Morgan convinced him that one of his ideas would work, he ended up with his parents being called to the principal's office because he had 'accidentally' hacked into the school's computer system to change Morgan's name to Beetlejuice._

"_Yeah, but you really need to know what she looks like. It has to be like exact and then it'll work. Trust me." Morgan's knows this will work because he had done it the last time he was over and Chuck had told him Ellie was still at ballet practice. Ellie had then appeared a minute later saying that practice had been cancelled._

_Chuck finally understands that the trick isn't going to work for him, at least not yet. He really does not like any of the girls at school but he does believe Morgan because out of everyone he knows, Morgan is the only person who has never lied to him. "Ok, I will try it sometime, I promise." He sees Morgan nod at his words and is glad that he has someone like him in his life. _

"_She's probably downstairs so if you want, we can go in and watch TV." Chuck does not get why Morgan's so into Ellie considering she's never really talked to him._

"_Ok, just let me picture her and count to twenty to make sure."_

_**Ballarat, California, 3.02 am, 31**__**st**__** March 2009**_

_Sarah's up to eight hundred and ninety two before she feels that she can stop counting in her head and that she's built up enough courage to do what she truly wants to do right now._

_She feels like a voyeur, just sitting by the chair watching him sleep but somehow it's the only place she wants to be right now. She has always been a reticent person, never comfortable with sharing her thoughts or her feelings and only acting on them when the time was right. Her father used to say to her, "Darlin', action speaks louder than words. That's how I got your mom to finally say yes to me." And she had always taken that to heart._

_Except right now, she really wanted to talk to Chuck. Not in the stilted way she had earlier but to tell him what she's really feeling or what he is making her feel, to be exact. She can see Stephen working on his wrist computer. He had provided her with the list she needs and she knows that there is really nothing stopping her from leaving. However, she's finally being honest with herself and she knows that she can't leave without telling him the truth and that she will only be able to do it now and not when he's awake._

"_I think I am falling for you. I know how cheesy that sounds and trust me, I already feel like an idiot for saying this while you're unconscious." She stops there, not because she's uncomfortable but because saying the words out loud is not as difficult as she imagined it would be. She slowly reaches out to push back the errant curl on his forehead and knows that it's been something she has always wanted to do._

"_I hope I'll be able to show you soon." Her hand caresses his temple as she bends down to kiss him on his lips, regretting that he is still unconscious. The need she feels to stay by his side has intensified and it takes all her will power to finally get up and walk away. She knows that she is still not ready to get in her car and drive away. She has a duty to her country and owes a debt to Graham but still, she feels such a pull to just stay here. Intellectually, she knows that she had fulfilled her promise to Bryce and to Chuck. She had managed to protect Chuck and at the same time ensured Bryce's memory would not be tainted. Yet, she still cannot drive away and just sits on the hood of the car, going over reasons why she cannot leave as yet._

**Holding Cell, Fulcrum research base, Las Vegas, 4.22pm, 6****th**** April 2009**

Chuck feels the heat from the bullet as it passes inches from his head and embeds into the wall behind him. He does not take a breath as he opens his eyes to see Vincent looking at him, an evil smile gracing his face. "I'm going to enjoy pulling the trigger the next time as well." He rears back and kicks Chuck in the stomach for good measure before turning around and walking out.

Chuck finally takes a breath and can feel his ribs protest at the movement. He slowly gets up, using the table to support him as he rights the chair and finally sits back in it. He knows that Vincent meant every word he had said including the implicit threat that he would not miss the next time. Chuck looks at the screens in front of him and finally starts typing again, hoping that his final message will eventually get to Sarah. He really is unsure of whether it would be fair to her to send it but he knows that Vincent will go through with his threat and he does not want to die without telling her the truth. He sends the message out and resumes his work on the code, this time more convinced than ever that he needs to step up and do what's right.

Despite her actions, he still wants to help Jill, although he knows that giving her the Intersect would not be the way to do it. Chuck realizes that he does not want to become like her and blame others for decisions he can make on his own. He's so intent on continuing the work that he does not notice the slight delay he is experiencing when he enters the keystrokes until he pauses for a bit and sees that the symbols only register at different intervals on the screen.

He starts to type again, only this time paying attention to the timing between the letters appearing onscreen and finally deciphers the Morse code in his head. _"We're coming to get you, son. 1730." _

Chuck can see the cameras in the room and tries his best not to change his expression, though the relief he feels is indescribable and only eclipsed by the understanding that the "we" in the message could only be referring to Sarah. He is still worried for her despite knowing how lethal an agent she can be. Chuck knows he may not be able to defend himself in a fight. However, he does possess the necessary skills to wreak some havoc on the base via the computer terminal he's been given access to.

His back and ribs still hurt when he breathes and he can see in the reflection off the screen that the bruises are darkening on his face. However, the message has imbued him with renewed hope and he knows that he needs to help his dad and Sarah any way that he can. The first system he gains access to is the central air-conditioning grid and he manages to shut down a few sections without being detected. He cannot access the main power or telecommunication grids but finally locates the power supply for the elevators. Chuck's not sure if he should shut them off immediately and decides instead to ensure that it would shut off completely in twenty minutes. He has no plan in his head except to perhaps create some confusion on the base, which hopefully will be able to help Sarah in some way.

He knows that he needs to do more though and finally realizes that he has been propelling towards this decision for sometime. To be honest, the knowledge of the Intersect and his affinity to it has always been a specter hovering above him. He would like nothing more than to ignore the fact that he could use the Intersect and its knowledge to help Sarah in her rescue attempt. Chuck does not even pause as he starts to furiously input the final codes on the screen. His fingers are a blur of movement and he doesn't even look at the screens as he finally enters the last part of the initialization code.

He is so intent on finishing the program that he does not register the alarm at first. It takes him by surprise and he wonders if it is a result of his tampering of the elevators. It's then that he notes a message coming through and it takes all of his concentration to translate it:- _'Sarah and Casey are inside.' _

His heart skips a beat as he translates Sarah's name, partly driven by fear for her safety and partly driven by hope that she'll be there soon. The cameras are still recording and Chuck knows that he needs to do something when the time comes. He's all out of ideas but does not give up because he knows that Sarah is near and he needs to step up and ensure that he does everything in his power to get out of here alive, with her.

It's only when his index finger hovers above the Enter key, does he finally stop and look up at the screens before him. His finger presses the key before he can register any other thought and the screens fill with recognizable images that take over his entire focus.

**Fulcrum research base, Las Vegas, 5.02pm, 6****th**** April 2009**

Casey has Sarah in a fireman's carry, one arm holding her body in place while the other is touching his gun at his side. He has no qualms about walking into a Fulcrum base and is actually looking forward to an up close fire flight compared to supervising the raid from afar. He sees the unguarded side entrance that Walker had described and quickly enters the numeric code she had given him. He can feel how tense she is and looks down as he harshly whispers, "Relax Walker otherwise they'll notice that you still have a big stick up your ass."

He can tell she really wants to respond, but that she's too much of a professional to actually do so and he can feel her relax a bit as he pushes open the door and walks into the dimly lit hallway. The plans that she had drawn for him were sketchy at best and the only thing he's really sure of is the fact that the holding cells would probably be located on the lowest level. The map shows five possibly six sub-basement levels and all he needs to do is to go down. He looks around for a stairwell and sees one at the end of the hallway. He walks towards it only to have the elevator doors open to reveal two men dressed in black. Casey does not overtly react although he does place his hand by his side, closer to his gun.

The man on the right nods at him as the one on the left exits and walks towards Casey, his eyes never leaving Casey's face. The elevator door does not close and Casey walks towards it. His steps are measured and he does not rush. It's only when Casey passes the man exiting the elevator does he tense up as he watches the man reach for his gun as he walks across his path. However, it's Sarah who reacts first by grabbing his gun and shooting the first man just as he raises his weapon before twisting around, Casey turning on his heel, and shooting the man in the lift. Casey does not hesitate as he runs towards the closing doors, entering just in time.

He puts her down and presses the button for the lowest level before taking a breath. "That was some shooting." He does not give out compliments easily, but she had surprised him with her skill as well as the fact that she had not looked to him for approval. She nods at his words as she silently checks the pockets of the dead man.

"You have to carry him out." She checks the clip of the gun in her hand before looking at Casey. "They may have already found the guy upstairs. Sorry, I …" she starts to say but stops abruptly. She had not wanted to give up their advantage so soon but she had felt him tense and acted purely on instinct. For a moment, it had felt like she was with Bryce again, looking out for her partner knowing that he would be doing the same thing.

"It was the right call." He hefts the body onto his shoulder and stands in front of the doors, blocking Sarah from view. His reservations about her skills are fading, although he is still concerned about her state of mind as she still refuses to look him in the eye. The sudden klaxon sound startles her and her eyes widen as the realization of what it may mean hits her at the same time that the elevator stops abruptly.

* * *

Stephen Bartowski knows exactly what he needs to do to finally finish all of this. He had wasted his chances early on by believing that he could escape with his wife and kids and Fulcrum would be none the wiser. After Fay's death, it was just easier to accept that he could never sever all ties and that Fulcrum would always be a part of his life. It was then that he began to plan for the inevitable.

He had hoped that Eleanor and Charles would be left alone and for twelve years, they had been. Unbeknownst to them, he had kept watch electronically, hacking into the local security cameras all over the city in order to catch glimpses of his children growing up. Allowing Charles to find him was a moment of weakness which he had tried to correct but, he was still a weak man and even having his son think him mad was better than having Charles not think of him at all.

His plans though were still there to be executed; all he needed was to wait for the right time. Stephen had not expected that he would have to use his own son as bait and even now understands that he may have gone too far in his quest for revenge. Sarah's dedication to Charles's safety has provided him with just the opportunity. He knows that all he needs to do is plant his devices in a few strategic places around the underground facility and wait for Sarah to rescues Chuck before detonating it all and burying Fulcrum's largest research facility forever. The last message from Charles was for Sarah and the words are still stuck in his mind because they would have been the same words he would have chosen if he had to say goodbye to Fay. He never had the chance though and he's not going to let his son's chance disappear. He owes Charles but more importantly, he realizes that he owes Sarah just as much.

His wrist pad shows him not only the way in, but also allows him to piggyback onto their wireless network in order to view all the security camera feeds. He places the small incendiary device next to a structural column, knowing that it will cause this side of the facility to cave in. The timers for all of the bombs are set for 5.45pm and Stephen realizes he's cutting it close, but he has faith in Sarah and Casey to do their jobs. He's come too far to not stick to his plan and his instincts. He may not have been there for his son in these past years but he can tell what type of person Charles has developed into. Stephen is counting on his son to be as prepared as he can be for his extraction, to sit tight and wait for the right moment.

He has four more devices to deploy when he hears the alarms go off. His wrist pad highlights that it is not a drill and he sends a message to his son, hoping that Chuck has not initiated this alarm. He waits; wasting precious minutes in hope that Chuck has not done the one thing he did not expect. However, he does not get an answer and he can tell that the alarm has been triggered from within the confines of the base.

Stephen looks at his wrist pad and begins to type furiously as he starts to run down the hallway towards the stairwell. Time is now his enemy as much as Fulcrum has been. The outcome that he wants is clear but the choices now open to him are fairly limited. His main focus of destroying Fulcrum from within, both figuratively and literally, has now been superceded by his focus on ensuring his son gets out of here alive. That job could not be left to Sarah and Casey any longer and Stephen understands that he needs to be Charles's father more than he needs to quell his thirst for revenge.

* * *

Chuck is not sure if the loud sound he hears is real or just a product of the download. He has yet to open his eyes as he can still feel the overload of data encroaching on all his senses. He blindly grabs for the chair he knows is close by; his hand finally grasping its side. It's only then that he blinks his eyes open. The alarm he is hearing is hardly distinguishable from the ringing in his ears but the flashing lights do indicate that his meddling has resulted in some chaos. The off-kilter feeling he is experiencing is so familiar that he immediately understands that the download has worked. Such that he is unsurprised when he looks up at the door to see his father and feels the onset of a flash.

_Telephone booth_

_Shredding machine_

_Computer design plans_

_Software code_

_Timer_

_Handcuffs_

_Kill order for Fay Bartowski_

_Telephone booth_

All at once, Chuck is cognizant that the flash he has experienced is different from the others. The images from the flash he had just seen were embedded with more information that did not register visually, but instead registered on a more subconscious level triggering a certain response from him. In this instance, not only did he finally understand his father's motivation in all of this, but he also has acquired a deeper understanding of the intricacies of Fulcrum's computer systems as well as that of the Intersect.

"Charles, we need to get you out of here." Stephen rushes over to where his son is sprawled on the floor. He wants desperately to attribute Charles's dazed expression to his captivity but he knows that it's not true. "You downloaded the Intersect." He does not phrase it as a question and knows that his tone is full of concern. "How are you feeling? Can you walk?" He sees the chain around his son's leg and takes out the small bolt cutter form his bag to remove it.

"They killed mom." Chuck didn't think he could feel anymore hurt about his mom's death, but he had been wrong about so many things. "You shouldn't have kept that from us." There is no accusation in his voice, only regret. "Where is Sarah?" It's then that Chuck realizes the one person that he wants to see more than anyone else is not here. "You said she was here, what happened?" This time there is fear and worry coloring his voice as he reaches out to grab his father's arm.

"I think they may be stuck in the elevators. We need to disable the alarm and get you out of here." He finally cuts through the chain and help's his son to his feet. "Did you use this terminal to activate the alarms?" He does not look at Charles; instead he begins to type different instructions and hopes one of them will allow him further access into Fulcrum's systems.

"Wait." Chuck finally understands the role he needs to play here as well as accept all the decisions he has made up to this point. All his feelings of expecting something more from life and his search for his father had never been about his parents' abandonment but about his own search for his place in the world. All his life, he wanted to do what was right and follow his beliefs. However, he had always been afraid of the unknown and the unexpected, instead just focusing on his teaching career. Knowingly downloading the Intersect, went against all his instincts of self-preservation. But it had not been a difficult decision to make. Knowing his place now and understanding the fact that he had the ability and skills to help people beyond the student population at Stanford, to actually help his country, have finally allowed him to accept the fact that he has done the correct thing. Not only because it would help him save Sarah but also because it was the right thing to do.

"You won't be able to stop anything but I can try and corrupt the system by using the Intersect data." He enters symbols and letter strings at an increasingly faster rate, all the while looking at the door to his cell, hoping that Sarah would just walk through. His hopes are dashed though when he sees Vincent, Jill and three armed men enter the cell, their guns pointed at him and his father. The smile on Vincent's face is enough to make his skin crawl and provides him with a view of what evil really looks like.

* * *

The cable wire slices into her palms but Sarah does not even register the pain, instead just focusing on getting to the air vent entrance at the side of the lift shaft. She can hear Casey grunting in frustration below her and knows that his added bulk is making this climb more difficult from his perspective. She does not say anything as she reaches from the vent and pulls herself up before extending her arm towards Casey.

"Thanks." Casey notes her bloodied palms and her determined expression and marvels at her dedication to the mission. He knows that it's more than a mission to her even though he cannot fully comprehend her relationship with Charles Bartowski. However, the fact that she had made it this far and had saved his life in the process makes him accept her more than he would have otherwise. "There's going to be gunplay." He sees her freeze at his comment and finally empathizes with her plight. He had never fully accepted that Ilsa had died for him, not because he did not believe it but because it would mean that he had to acknowledge her death.

"If you get to him, get out as quickly as you can. Don't look back." Even in the dim light, Casey can see her shocked expression. Her eyes are so wide that he can see her blue irises bright and iridescent. "Judging by the alarms, there's going to be a number of Fulcrum agents between here and there."

Sarah's always been a quick study and she understands Casey fully. He wants to take down as many agents as he can and he knows that the odds are against them coming out of this alive now that the base has been put on alert. She has never had a death wish and wants to stay alive now more than ever. Her choices in life have not been fatalistic but more reactionary, depending on the scenario coupled with the hope that in doing the right thing, she would always survive. She can feel the pounding in her head and knows her time may be running out but it does not detract from the fact that she would do everything in her power to see Chuck again, even if it was for the last time on her part. Sarah checks the magazine in her gun as well as touches the extras in her back pocket.

"I'm going to keep shooting until I run out. We can exit up ahead and try and find a stairwell down." The only partner she had ever had was Bryce and he had been such a good one that she had thought he could never be replaced. However, her time with Casey has shown that perhaps she had been wrong.

They are quiet when they reach the vent, instead taking note of the voices coming from the corridor. By the sound of their voices and the angled view from the vents, Casey guesses there are at least six people they would need to plough through first. With Sarah's shooting skills, he's actually pretty confident of at least making it to the stairwell as he signals a countdown to her.

The fluidity of their movements are a sight to see as both Casey and Sarah tumble out of the vent, guns already sighted and blazing as they target different Fulcrum operatives. Casey counts three down to Sarah's two in less than half a minute and does not flinch as he senses the bullets fly around him. It's only when he sees Sarah fall to the ground, does he understand that she has had another flash.

Sarah swings her gun around and tightens her finger on the trigger, aiming to hit the Fulcrum agent nearest to her. The flash that hits her is so sudden and unexpected that her finger involuntarily tightens before her aim is sound and her bullet grazes the man instead of fully incapacitating him. She feels rather than sees the impact of his bullets as she's sent crashing to the ground by their force. All her senses still wrapped around the images flashing though her head.

Casey's reaction is immediate as he switches focus to the shooter targeting Walker, taking him down before shooting the last man. He does not wait to check to see if Sarah is still breathing, instead just lifting her entire body over his shoulder and running towards the stairwell. He takes the steps two at a time and races downwards, hanging on to her body in a similar fashion to when they first broke into the base.

* * *

It is not a surprising move to see his father step in front of him, his left hand held out, thus shielding him from Vincent and the others. However, what does surprise Chuck is the wicked looking device he is holding in his right hand. "Don't even think about it or we all go up." Stephen's voice is measured and he does not blink, instead holding Vincent's gaze. He reacts just a split second before he sees Vincent does and hurls the bomb in the direction of the door at the same time pulling Chuck downwards behind the only table in the room.

The sound from the blast is ear shattering but it's the heat and debris that causes the most damage to the cell and to the occupants within it. The air is clouded and thick with dust and smoke and Chuck cannot see anything, although he can feel the weight of his father's body on top of his. He gingerly pushes up only to yelp in pain as he belatedly notices that his left arm is pinned down by a cinder block.

He is relieved though to finally feel his father slowly moving and grasping his left arm, allowing him to push off the debris with his other hand. "Are…are you ok?" His voice sounds distant and hoarse but he knows it's due to the smoke and the concussion blast. He can clearly see that his father is hurt as he struggles to sit up.

It's only when he feels something pushed into his hands does he understand the gravity of the situation. "No, we just need to get out of here." Chuck pushes the computer wrist pad away, not wanting to accept what it means. Instead he rises and half supports, half carries his dad as he slowly walks through the debris strewn area towards the large hole in the wall. He almost gags at the sight of the two partially charred bodies.

"Son, listen to me, you need to let me go." Stephen knows his job is still not fully done and that he still needs to ensure that his son gets the chance he deserves to be free from Fulcrum's grasp.

"No, dad, we…"

Stephen finally pulls on his son's hand as he secures the wrist pad on it. "Charles, you need to find Sarah and you need this to help her. I still have a job to do here."

"Sarah? Why? What's wrong with Sarah?" Chuck's focus shifts so suddenly that he has to literally stop to catch his breath. He knew she was here in the complex and was trying to get to him. Likewise, he was doing everything in his power to get to her as well.

"She downloaded the Intersect." The words have no contextual sense to Chuck, although he understands what they mean. Sarah was an agent who had been tasked to find the Intersect. There would be no need for her to download it. Furthermore, she alluded to it being the reason why Bryce had died and Jill's health had deteriorated so quickly. All these thoughts race through his head and he almost does not hear the sound of the gun being cocked.

"Another Intersect. The Ring will be pleased." Vincent can barely stand but he really wants to be the person to kill Chuck Bartowski. He can see Jill's sprawled body a few feet away and is almost sure she is dead and he does not like the feeling he is experiencing.

Chuck is not sure if it was the sound of the gun releasing the bullet into its chamber or the name of the Ring that causes him to flash. Truth be told, both of them were triggers and his current flash takes on a different dimension to those of his past ones. The images scroll through his mind, giving him links and background to the Ring members but it's the three dimensional images interspersed with binary codes that provides him with a skill that he never knew he had.

The roundhouse kick is performed with such precision and speed that Vincent doesn't even have time to react in any conceivable way. The subsequent follow up maneuver of a kick to Vincent's throat is a deadly one that sends him crashing to the ground.

* * *

She can hear the gunplay even before her eyes are open and she realizes that Casey had probably saved her life. She reaches for her back up gun and checks the clip before joining Casey in returning fire. "Where are we?" The bullet proof vest had proven to be a good idea but she knows that the bruises will remain for quite some time. "The two containment cells are in the basement, last two rooms at the end. Chuck has to be there."

"We're at the basement level but we're pinned down. There are two Tangos left." He's not sure if he should tell her about the explosion and returns fire instead, wanting to put off that discussion.

Sarah's always been good at reading people and can tell that he's keeping something from her. "What did I miss?" Her entire body aches from her head down and she's still not sure she can make it out of here alive. However, as long as she's conscious, she knows that she just has one thing to accomplish.

"There was an explosion a couple of minutes back. It sounded like a doozy and it took out some of the guys out there. I think it came from the holding cells." He's waiting for tears and some kind of emotional response as he looks straight at her. Instead, he's taken aback as he sees her stand and rush out from their hiding place, her gun held out and her aim true. He hears shots fired and cannot just wait there as he too runs out from behind with his gun held up, ready to fire.

He stops when all he sees is Sarah standing in the hallway, her head down and the two gunmen lying prone on the floor. He can see the smoke, dust and debris at the farthest end of the hallway and realizes that it's up to him to lead the way. Casey can't figure out when exactly her mission had become his but he knows that he has to find Bartowski as he raises his gun and walks down the hallway.

Sarah is counting in her head and only allows herself to reach twenty before she takes a breath and follows Casey down the hall. She has to know the truth even if she will never want to accept it. She owes Chuck that much.

She can't help but call his name as she surveys the destruction before her. "Chuck." Her voice has an equal measure of hope and fear in it and all she really wants is to hear him answer.

* * *

Chuck closes his eyes because he really doesn't want to see any of it any longer. Not the destruction surrounding him or the dead man before him. He cannot explain his actions, although he has a pretty good idea that they are Intersect related. Killing someone though, is completely beyond his comprehension, and all he really wants right now, all he really needs, is to see Sarah.

He counts in his head, each number adding to the last as he pictures her in his mind, completely blocking out all the images and binary code from before. As he finally reaches twenty, he hears the sound of his name and he finally opens his eyes.

He sees a big man come through the hole in the wall first, but his focus is solely on the person right behind the man. Her hair is in disarray and he can see cuts and bruises on her face and hands but he cannot help but think that she is the most beautiful person he has ever seen.

She sees him standing there, blood trickling down the side of his face. He's holding one of his arms close to his body and she hopes it's not broken. However, despite all her own aches and pains, the sight of him alive and standing in front of her is really all she needs.

**The End**

**So the poll for this chapter is**

**1) If Casey closed his eyes and counted to twenty, would he want to see Ilsa or Ronald Reagan more?**

**2) Would you like Jill to be dead or for Chuck to get some closure?**

**3) Is Morgan's appearance in flashback enough or should he appear in another chapter?**

**4) The next chapter should have the following….(fill in your request)**


	12. Louder Than Words

**A/N – Firstly hope you like an early Christmas present. So we're onto Ch 12 and thanks for giving me over 200 reviews (it's the first time I have hit so many so it's definitely a thrill for me). Anyway, hope you like this chapter and thanks to mxpw for beta'ing. We are getting close to the end so it's a little sad for me to write probably the last two more chapters of this story but it's nice to finish something too.**

**The Inevitable Life of Chuck Bartowski**

**Chapter 12 Louder Than Words**

**Rose Hill Memorial Park & Mortuary, Los Angeles, 5.05 pm, May 8****th**** 1992**

_They've been on the run for about a month and despite not being the first time, it's the longest that they've had to live out of their car. Katie O'Connell does not want to complain because she can see the stress her father is under. He had lost most of their seed money in a con that went wrong, not because it didn't__ succeed but because he had partnered with a man with mob ties. They had been run out of Chicago with only the clothes on their back. However, that was still not good enough as they had been pursued across country, always only one step ahead. It was only after being shot at in Vegas did her dad finally admit that they needed to pick up their emergency fund and leave the country for a while._

"_I know you're tired, Darlin'. It's buried just up ahead but I need you to keep watch for me, ok?" He does not like to lose sight of her especially after the last close call in Vegas. It was pure luck that resulted in them escaping the shooter and he knows that their luck cannot hold. "Don't go too far and if you see anyone, just stop by any grave and just pretend to pray." He can see her nod at his instructions, her blue eyes reflecting a maturity beyond her years. He hates that he can never call her by her real name and uses Darlin' as a substitute because it's the only thing that sounds real. He knows that with the emergency fund, they'll have to change their names again and he hopes that she'll like Jenny._

_She stops and looks around as her father walks over the hill towards the plots at the east end of the cemetery. It's different from where they had buried her mom but still, she can see some similarities in the tranquility of the place along with the manicured grounds. She had wanted to visit each year but never got the chance due to their itinerant travels. So instead, she would always try and pray for her mom if she passed any cemetery. It wasn't a lot but at least she hoped that it counted. She finally spots a stone twenty yards away, with a small angel crowning it. It bore just enough resemblance that she quickly walks over to it, knowing that it'll bring her just a bit closer to her mom._

_It's only when she reaches it does she see that there is a man with three kids walking along the path towards her. They are still some distance away and look too young to cause any trouble for her and her father. So instead, she does what her father had instructed as she bends her head down, her arms coming together in prayer. Her eyes are shut as she starts to recite the Lord's Prayer in her head, all the while keeping her ears open for any other disturbances so that she can warn her father. She slowly drops to her knees as her prayer finishes and she starts to talk to her mom, telling her of her hopes and fears._

* * *

_Chuck had spent all afternoon hiding from his dad and Ellie and it was only when Morgan climbed up into the tree house did he finally show himself. He was surprised that Ellie had not protested when Morgan asked to come along and figured that she knew Morgan was there to ensure he didn't cry like a baby. He truly hates coming here because he knows his mother is dead and there is nothing he can do to change that. This is their third visit this year and he wonders if the pain will eventually fade over time and how long will it take because it still feels so bad._

_When his dad had first told Ellie and him that she had died, all Chuck could do was shout no, over and over again. Eventually, he had hit his dad and ran to hide in his tree house, all while trying to make a deal with God to make it all not true. He had bargained with everything he had but to no avail. He remembered that he and Ellie had cried throughout the funeral and then his sister had somehow managed to control her grief. But he could not do it and even now, he's pretty sure that he'll start to bawl as soon as he sees her headstone._

_He finally looks ahead and sees there is someone praying at another grave on the path. It's the first time that he realizes that he's not the only one to have lost someone and that the cemetery was filled with thousands of lost people. As he passes by, he sees that the girl is as young as he is, maybe even younger. Her clothes look worn and faded and her blonde hair is in disarray but she's so intent on her prayer that Chuck is struck by how alone she looks.__ It's only then that he realizes that although he's lost his mom, at least he still has Ellie and Morgan and his dad__, unlike the solitary girl._

_He still does not like the feeling of helplessness that threatens to overwhelm him and can feel the tears prick his eyes. It's only when he feels Ellie take his hand and Morgan take his other, does he finally succumb to the tears. He does not cry loudly, not wanting to disturb the little girl and finally swipes at his eyes and looks back. He sees her stand up and dust herself off, her eyes still focused on the headstone in front of her. Even in the waning light, he can see that her eyes are blue as she turns around, looking straight at him__ for a split second before turning to walk the other way._

_He takes a deep breath before looking back at his mom's grave and not for the last time, wishes that things could have been different and that his pleadings with God would have saved her._

**Fulcrum research base, Las Vegas, 5.37pm, 6****th**** April 2009**

Chuck does not say anything as he steps forward into her arms, her head fitting just so into the crook of his neck. He can feel her muscles are still tense in her back as his hands embrace her fully. In a matter of seconds, he can feel her finally relax. He knows that it's only been seconds in her presence but even that small amount of time is enough to sooth his frayed nerves and to allow him some respite. All too quickly though, he realizes that they are both hurt and are still within Fulcrum's grasp. He looks around for his dad and is somewhat unsurprised to see that he is not there. He understands his father's motivations but cannot condone his act, and there is nothing much he can do about it except to save as many people as he can. "We need to get out of here and to get people out of this base. It's going to blow up in…" he looks at the wrist computer, "eight minutes."

Casey has no interest in reunions or fulfilling fate and studiously ignores Chuck in order to survey the destruction and the casualties caused by the explosion. He is faintly surprised to find a dark haired woman still breathing. "I got a live one here." He can see Walker holding onto Bartowski's hand and pulling him towards the exit only to be stopped at his words.

"She's alive? Jill's alive?" Chuck is not sure whether to be relieved or worried and is grateful when Sarah takes the lead.

"Casey, you need to carry Jill and we need to get out of here now. There is an emergency elevator behind one of the wall panels. I have the activation code but we need to get to it in the next minute or so." Sarah's slightly swaying on her feet and can feel the energy and adrenaline draining out of her. However, her physical contact with Chuck is like a lifeline and she knows that her mission isn't over until she gets him to safety. She knows he wants to save people, including the Fulcrum operatives, and that she needs to carry the weight of that decision. "Chuck." She says his name like it's a benediction.

Chuck knows that it's not the time to ask Sarah about her Intersect or even to tell her how happy he is that she is alive. The only thing he knows he can do is to hold onto her and not let her go again. He looks up at her when she says his name, wanting to grant her request regardless.

She's pulling him down the corridor, trying to navigate around the bodies and debris and finally looks back at him. "We can't alert the base anymore than we already have. If they catch us, they will kill us. Casey and I are going to get you and Jill out of here and see what we can do in finding your father. As soon as you're in the clear, I will try and raise an alarm but only after you're safe." She can see that he wants to argue with her but at least he can't tell that she's lying even though she knows that Casey can.

"881 532 DXQ SJF PAX." She points to the small hidden electronic pad at the side of the wall and recites the code for Casey to enter it. He glances back at her and smirks at her words but at least he holds his tongue and does not contradict anything she has said.

Sarah does not want to lie to Chuck but she also realizes that it's her only recourse as he would never intentionally leave knowing that he could still save lives. However, she also understands that she can take it upon herself to ensure his conscience is clear as she sees him finally nod his assent, his eyes wide but trusting. She hopes that when he does find out the truth, he will eventually forgive her. The panel finally slides open to reveal the gleaming metal doors of the elevator, which open almost immediately. The ride up takes less than fifteen seconds and Chuck can feel his ears pop. He's surprised to see the elevator open into a small alleyway and the brightness of the day. Chuck pulls on Sarah's hand as he exits only to feel her let go.

"I'm going back down." She has to do this for him, knowing that if she wanted even a remote chance of a future with Chuck, she would need to keep her word to him. She has about five minutes to try and get to Stephen and sound an alarm of some kind. It's not odds in her favor but she's had worse. "I promise I'll do everything I can to come back to you." She desperately wants to mean every word because she's finally found something special and knows that she will fight to her last breath to see him again.

Before Chuck can reply, she pushes him away and presses the elevator button, while addressing her last words to Casey. "Casey, please keep him safe and get as far away as you can. If we're not at the truck stop in two hours..." She lets the sentence hang there, knowing that Casey will understand what it means. She's glad to see Casey's free hand grab hold of Chuck as he lunges towards the closing doors.

"Sarah, no… I lo..." His words are cut off but she definitely knows how his sentence is meant to be finished. She wants to hear him say the words and prays that she will be able to. The doors open again, this time on the second lowest floor. It's an educated gamble on Sarah's part that Stephen would place the rest of his explosives here.

The alarm is still ringing and she sees a few harried people in lab coats rush by her, heading towards the main elevators at the end of the hallway. It's then that she spots Stephen, limping and clutching his side as he furtively exits one of the rooms down the corridor. She wants to call out but is unsure of what exactly to say, so instead she races down the hall and into the room after him. She enters a laboratory-like room and is immediately aware of its resemblance to the room where she had been Intersected.

"There are probably ten or so rooms in the world like this." Stephen's leaning against the wall, his face ashen and the front of his shirt is wet with blood. "And all of them just waiting for the correct program to be used and ruin another life." He places his final incendiary device on the floor next to him as he slumps down into a sitting position.

"We need to get out of here." Sarah tries to help him to his feet but can feel his resistance.

"Wrong. You need to get out of here and back to Charles. He can help you but I can't help either of you any more." He is not trying to be difficult but needs her to understand that this is his penance for all the mistakes he had made in the past. Stephen knows that he does bear full responsibility for creating the Intersect and bringing down its ramifications onto Charles and Sarah.

"Bullshit." Sarah's angry tone takes him by surprise as does her Herculean effort to drag him to his feet and towards the secret elevator. "You are not giving up so easily after your son risked his life for you. You don't get to just give up." She knows that it's her anger that is fueling her and despite the fatigue and pain in her head, she's managed to drag Stephen to his feet. She is unsure if she has time to save the both of them but she has never been the type to give up. Especially now that she has someone to look forward to. "Damn it." She grits out as her pass code does not activate the elevator.

He can see that she is fading fast as she sways on her feet, trying to enter different codes into the electronic panel. There are so many similarities between the woman before him and his son that he is astounded that it has never occurred to him before. It's not only the fact that they both have Intersects but more the reason behind it. They had done it to save each other and it was an extraordinary thing that he could not ignore. "You should have flashed on two codes. The first one should be alpha numeric but the second one should be only numerical."

Sarah closes her eyes and takes a deep breath, knowing that the information she needs is in her head. Slowly, she begins to enter the digits and is finally rewarded with the opening door. She's surprised when Stephen pushes her violently into the elevator, her head hitting the side panel. However, she realizes why when she sees and then hears the explosion behind her.

The doors close just in time, avoiding the heat and flames although she can feel the ambient temperature rise around her. She finally looks down at Stephen's prone form and checks to see if he is still breathing. She has not fulfilled her entire promise to Chuck about sounding an alarm but at least she has managed to save his father's life. Hopefully it would count for something. It's only after that thought, does she finally succumb to the darkness as she keels forward unconscious. She does not feel the overhead panel fall on top of her or the fire burning through the floor of the elevator.

* * *

It's not the fact that he cannot get out of the arm hold or even the fact that he's still in shock about killing Vincent. Both those things matter, however, they don't even rate when compared to his worry about Sarah. She had gone back into the Fulcrum base because of his hesitation and his own insecurities. She was risking her life to find his father and he had done nothing. His next move is all instinct.

Chuck turns on his heel and holds Casey's arm down as he twists away, at the same time aiming a swift kick to Casey right knee. "You son of a bit..." Casey's swear is cut off by the sound of gunfire. He can see that it's coming from the building to his left but cannot discern at which level the gunman is located. He does not let go of Chuck despite his slick maneuver, instead dragging him towards the filled dumpster further up the alley for cover. He can see their car parked on the street a hundred yards away but cannot get to it without knowing exactly where their shooter is. "Listen up, moron. If you ever do that again, I will shoot you myself. We need to get to that car and so help me, if you give me any trouble, I will ignore Walker's instructions."

Chuck's angry enough to once again pull his hand out of Casey's grip, with another slick maneuver as he hisses in response, "I'm not leaving Sarah." He didn't leave her when she asked him to the first time back at his house and he didn't do it when she had been captured by Vincent. Chuck knows he's definitely not going to do it now, when she had come all this way to save him. "Sarah's going to need help when she comes back up. Can you get to that shooter?" He finally looks down at his wrist computer to see how much time Sarah has left and feels like punching the side of the dumpster in frustration.

Casey finally puts Jill down as he looks up at the building across, trying to gauge what he would need to do to avoid the shooter and take him out. The fire escape is his only way up and he would still not be able to climb up fast enough. "The guy is on the fifth floor and the fire escape is the best bet up but as soon as I start climbing, he's going to shoot me off. I need to not use the stairs..." Casey trails of as he points to the route that would take him to the gunman.

Chuck looks to where Casey is pointing to, all while thinking that it really is up to him to ensure that when Sarah emerges from the bunker, she will not walk into a firefight. It's with that singular thought that he once again feels the onset of a flash. It's not a comforting feeling although it's fast becoming a familiar one. The images scroll through his mind interspersed with more three dimensional images.

_Circus Tent_

_Fichus Plant_

_Diagrammatic overview of the human muscular system_

_Video playback of vault exercises, three dimensional binary images_

_Biochemistry formulas_

_Physics equations_

_Fichus plant_

_Circus Tent_

He reacts with a speed that amazes Casey as he runs towards the fire escape, leaping up vertically to grab the left most side of the ladder while at the same time arcing his body sideways to land perfectly onto the first floor balcony. However, he does not stop there, as he propels himself upwards again and again, twisting this way and that, moving upwards with almost balletic grace. All while avoiding the incoming shots.

Chuck is almost out of breath as he does his last maneuver, his muscles not used to the exertion, but the sense memory he has downloaded from the gymnast Russell Czeschin has allowed him to reach his goal as he finally confronts the shooter. It's only then that he realizes that he does not have any fighting skills and is facing a killer who has no qualms in killing him, Jill, Casey and Sarah.

The man turns to him, swinging his high powered rifle around. Chuck immediately kicks out, catching him on the chin, but it still does not cause the shooter to drop his gun and his shot goes wild. In the back of his mind, he knows how this encounter should end but he cannot bring himself to fully commit to causing the man's death. He sees the shooter again swing his gun around and this time is lucky enough to kick his hand and is rewarded with the rifle finally being dropped. However, it's then that the tide changes and the man attacks Chuck with a ferocity that he has not ever encountered. The blows rain down on him and Chuck fights to maintain consciousness, each hit sending him one step closer to oblivion.

Chuck tries to protect his head and is expecting the last blow only to find the attack stopped suddenly. It's then that he hears Casey's voice. "You really are a brave but stupid son of a bitch aren't you?" His words are tempered with a small smirk and his outstretched hand. "Unlike you, I climbed up the old-fashioned way so it took me a little longer, but thanks for providing the distraction." Casey had always prided himself in never giving out compliments unless they were earned though blood and sweat. He's been giving them out like candy to Sarah and worse yet, to a civilian. However, he does acknowledge that they have been well deserved. If the geek hadn't done what he did, Casey could not have taken out the shooter without getting shot in the process.

"You're…you're welcome." It actually hurts to talk but Chuck needs to get the words out. He's about to ask after Sarah only to hear to sound of a distant explosion and has to hold onto the side railing as he feels the building shake. "What was that?" His voice is anxious not for his own safety but because he does not want to contemplate that Sarah and his dad could have been at the heart of the explosion.

Casey does not answer his question but the grim expression on his face does as Chuck struggles to stand up. "No, she promised." His voice is adamant as he finally stands and starts to climb back down, ignoring the pain and focusing on getting down to street level. He does not care what Sarah had told him, he was going to go back in and see for himself. He jumps the final six feet, landing with a thud onto the street. He sees Casey land next to him, his arm again held out, pulling him back as he tries to make his way towards the elevator.

"Let me go." He grits out as he finally turns back and pushes at Casey, "She's not dead." He wants to shout the words but cannot bring himself to do it as they come out in a whisper. He can see the sympathy in Casey's eyes but closes his own as he does not want any confirmation. "No." This time, he does shout as he wrenches himself out of Casey's grip and limps toward the elevator. He can hear people streaming out of the adjacent buildings, shouting the names of their friends and co-workers and questioning if it was an earthquake. He ignores all the extraneous sounds, instead focusing on getting to the elevator at the end of the alleyway.

He promises everything in his head, even his freedom and never seeing her again after all this is done, if only she came out of this nightmare alive and whole. He knows that his pleas have never worked before but that was because they were done after the fact, after his mom had died. But right now, he knows he still has time to change the outcome, that God would not do this to him twice in a row. He finally reaches the elevator door and slowly extends his hand. The metal door is hot to the touch and he knows it's probably due to the explosion underground. He stands there unflinching and only jerks back when he feels the door open beneath his hand, expelling dust and heat.

Chuck coughs, his arm raised to protect his eyes as he strains to look within the darkness of the open elevator. Part of the ceiling had collapsed and there is a hole in the floor the size of a bowling ball, the floor still burning. However, what catches his attention is the two bodies huddled together in the back. "Casey, I need your help." Chuck rushes in, ignoring the heat and the flames on the floor. He can see that it's Sarah and even without looking at the other person he knows that she had saved his dad. He grabs her hand and scrambles to feel her pulse point at the side of her neck, his hand slipping a few times due to her blood.

"She's breathing. They both are." It's Casey's voice that finally allows him to fully expel the breath that he had been holding. "Can you take her?" Chuck looks at the big man and nods in reply, not trusting his voice. He bends over and gently carries her up, hoping that any of the injuries she has sustained in her quest to save him and his father have not been life threatening.

Casey does not let on that Stephen Bartowski's breathing is too erratic and that he will probably not last the next half hour. He quickly flips through his phone's address book and searches for the nearest military hospital before carrying Chuck's father out. He sees Chuck standing near the dumpster, seemingly at a loss as he strides over and places Stephen next to the unconscious Jill. "There is a military hospital not far from here, it's called the Mike O'Callaghan Federal Hospital, we need to get the three of them there. Just wait here until I bring the car around."

Chuck knows that he is in parts both elated because Sarah is alive, albeit hurt in his arms, and scared because he can see how pale his dad is and knows that his wounds are extensive. He still cannot answer Casey and once again just nods as the big man grunts in response and runs towards the mouth of the alley where a car is parked.

When Casey drives up, he still dos not move and just watches as Casey carries first Jill and then his father into the SUV, ensuring that the seats in the back are fully reclined as he straps them in, careful not to move them too much. He then turns to look at Chuck.

"Can you hold her until we reach the hospital?" Casey can see that he is going into shock and that he will probably not want to let go of Sarah anytime soon.

Chuck looks down at Sarah and can see her chest rise and fall with each breath and it somewhat calms him enough to finally answer Casey. "Yes."

**Mike O'Callaghan Federal Hospital, ****Las Vegas, 8.38 pm, 6****th**** April 2009**

The ride to the hospital had been relatively uneventful, with Casey exceeding the speed limit by high double digits. He had managed to get a hold of his superior, a military officer call General Beckman and had requested an escort, which arrived four minutes later in the form of two police cruisers with the sirens blazing. It was only when they finally arrived, did they insist on taking Sarah out of his arms. He had tried to resist only to have Casey place his hand on Chuck's arm. It was such as unexpected gesture, and coupled with his look of sympathy, finally allowed him to let go of Sarah.

He did not leave her side though and was glad that Casey insisted that the doctors work on his dad and Sarah in the same room, thus not making Chuck choose between the two. They had stabilized her quickly enough, but she had still not regained consciousness and they were going to take his father up for surgery.

He did not want to leave her but knew that his dad had the more critical injuries and that he might not make it. "Tell her I'm here or that I'm around….when she wakes up, tell her I'm here." He wants so much to be the first thing that she sees but he knows that he has to make a choice here and that he has to follow his dad up.

He looks as Casey hands him a phone. "Take it, it's a satellite phone. I'll call when she wakes and you two can talk or at least you can talk and she can listen." He can't believe how soft he's getting and clenches his jaw at Chuck's relieved expression and his step forward, causing Casey to step back. "If you try and hug me, I'll break your arm."

Chuck smiles for the first time as he stops his forward movement and just grabs the phone before turning around to follow his father as they wheel him out of the room and towards the elevators.

* * *

He's been on his feet, the better part of four hours dividing his time between staring at the operating room below him and the phone in his hand, willing it to ring. His dad had coded once, early on in the operation, but had been revived and from then on it had gone relatively well. The only problem was that he was sure Sarah would have regained consciousness by now except that Casey still had not called.

He's thinking of worst-case scenarios again and wonders if Sarah had worse injuries than he first thought and was also undergoing surgery. He sees the surgeon below signal that the surgery is over and gives him the thumbs up and again, he feels both worried and relieved. Happy that his father made it through surgery but needing to know why Sarah had not regained consciousness. He quickly exits the viewing gallery and walks towards the nurses station.

"Can I check what room Sarah Walker has been assigned to?" Chuck drums his fingers on the counter, as he waits while the nurse runs his query. He does not expect her response though and his look of confusion only causes her to repeat herself.

"Sorry, sir, but there is no patient by the name of Sarah Walker. Sir, I can check again but there is no one under than name. W-A-L-K-E-R, right? That's how you spell it?" The nurse re-types her query and shakes her head once more.

"Jill Roberts, can you check if there is a patient called Jill Roberts." This time, Chuck is ready for the answer and is unsurprised when the nurse tells him that she's also not a registered patient. He looks up when he hears the elevator's chime as the door opens and notes the four armed soldiers and officer walking towards him. The female officer is so short that she comes up to only his chest, but he can see the two stars on her epaulets and notes her name on her nameplate. His flash is quick and this time only providing him with the bare details of the woman before him. Sketchy details but still information that he knows he needs to use if he wanted to get out of this situation unscathed.

"Charles Irving Bartowski?" She uses his name as a question and Chuck chooses not to respond although it does not faze her as she continues. "Age 28, employed as an Associate Professor of Computer Engineering at Stanford and currently under investigation by the NSA for treason."

Chuck can see that she expects him to react or to say something but he still remains silent as he stares at her, his hand in his pocket as he slowly dials a number that he hopes is the correct one. He waits for a full half minute before he asks her a question. "Where are Sarah and Jill?" His voice does not betray the anger or fear he is feeling because he does know a bit about the General and needs to know exactly when he can use that information for his benefit.

"That information is now classified and they are under the sole purview of the NSA. You will be placed under arrest until we can fully verify your allegiance." She turns to walk away and Chuck can see two of the soldiers approach him with a pair of handcuffs.

"Sarah is a decorated CIA officer and has not done anything wrong and neither have I and I can prove it." His voice is finally defiant and he can see that he has the General's attention as she turns to face him again, lifting one arm to gesture to the soldiers to stand down. She looks at him, one eyebrow arched, waiting for him to continue.

Chuck knows it's a gamble as he takes out the sat phone and talks into it. "Did you hear that?" He listens intently as the person on the other end speaks. "Yes, I know, but she was only acting to protect me because I have what you're looking for inside my head." Again, he listens intently, this time nodding before he answers. "Yes, I understand what you are saying and I agree to your terms. I just need to know that my father and Sarah and Jill will be safe and in your custody." He nods for the last time before finally responding, "I understand, I'll hand the phone over to her."

He finally looks up at the General and can see her face contort in anger as he hands her the phone. He looks on as she places it to her ear and can see that she's surprised at the caller's identity. Chuck's not surprised at her response over the phone though.

"Graham, you do not have the right or the authority to…" Beckman trails off as she hears Graham's retort. "There's no proof he's telling the truth." Again she listens to the response before asking, "Where are you?" Her eyes widen as he answers. "But that's impossible, no one could…" She looks at Chuck as realization dawns in her eyes. She does not say good bye as she disconnects the call and hands him the phone, which he places back in his pocket.

"You flashed on that number?" Beckman already knows the answer to her question but wants to hear it from him. She still does not believe that it could work so seamlessly and needs the verbal proof. It did not make any sense that a mere civilian, and a nerdy one at that, would be able to master the Intersect program.

Chuck swallows before he answers, knowing that with this confirmation, he will have committed himself to a life that both Sarah and his father had tried to protect him from. "Yes, I did." He notes that she does not look as pleased as he thought she would and that he could even discern a note of pity before she turns and gives an order to the soldiers standing next to him.

"Bring him in, no handcuffs. At this point in time, Mr. Bartowski is to be considered an acting agent for the CIA and reporting jointly to Director Graham and the Head of the Agency."

He walks after her and only then realizes that the phone is vibrating. He takes it out and hopes that it's the one person in the world that he really wants to hear from as he connects the call and asks, "Sarah?"

**The End **

**Poll for the chapter as follows**

**1) Who do you think is on the line calling Chuck? Casey or Sarah or someone else??**

**2) Chuck voluntarily working for the CIA, what do you think Sarah's/Stephen's reaction will be?**

**3) We now have three Intersects entering into the next chapter, how many will remain at the end of Ch 13?**

**4) We are nearing the end, folks so review while you still can:)**


	13. A Blessing

**A/N – So I have finally managed to find a balance between work (which is stil crazy) and writing (which keeps me sane). So here's Ch13 and Chapter 14 is also almost done. I will try and post before the 10th so that in your mind, the adventure actually continues even though the original premise is a bit different. Anyway, enjoy Ch 13.**

**The Inevitable Life of Chuck Bartowski**

**Chapter 13 A Blessing**

_**Mike O'Callaghan Federal Hospital, Las Vegas, 10.42 pm, 6th April 2009**_

"_Chuck." Her voice is weak but he can still recognize the name she has called out despite the ambient sounds from the machines in the room. The issue is that the person she is calling out for is not in the room. _

"_Easy there." Casey's voice is gruff, due to the fact that he's feeling both frustrated at the situation he has found himself in and partly responsible for Sarah's injuries. He sees her struggle to open her eyes and knows that once she does, she will be disappointed at what she will see or rather not see._

_Sarah actually feels numb and knows that it's probably due to the copious amounts of drugs that are being pumped into her via the intravenous drips going into her hand. It takes great effort to even open her eyes but she needs to know that he is there and that he is as alive as she is. She recognizes the voice as belonging to Casey and strains to hear Chuck's response. The room slowly comes into focus, highlighting the fact that she is in another hospital room and that Chuck is not in the room with her. _

"_He's with his dad. They're doing surgery and it's touch and go. He wanted..." Casey tries but for the life of him he just cannot have this conversation. He's a soldier, not an agony aunt and saying anything more would probably put him in actual physical pain. He can actually see understanding in Walker's eyes and is relieved he does not have to say much else._

_Despite the disappointment she is feeling, Sarah can see that talking about it is making Casey so nervous that he can't even look directly at her. At least she can discern that Chuck was ok enough to be able to accompany his dad up for surgery. It's the best news she has received in the past few days. "How?" She's asking multiple questions in that one word: how they managed to get here, how was Chuck's dad and how was Casey going to handle her promise to him? _

_The last partner he had had been Pete, who had died in this woman's arms. He had managed to find a working relationship that was built on trust and mutual respect which he thought could never be replaced. However, it's disconcerting that he knows exactly what she's asking with her question. He would want the same answers and in this respect, they were quite aligned in their thinking._

"_He didn't want to leave without you and even when we got here, the nurses had a hard time getting him to let you go." Casey is still uncomfortable with talking about this but it's in the context of their situation and he knows he will temper what he has to say next. "General Beckman has been informed and I believe she's on her way over to take charge of the situation." He's not one to shirk from responsibility, but Casey is also a product of the military and he has always respected the chain of command, even when he may not agree to their decisions._

_Sarah remembers that her last conscious thought had been a silent prayer that Chuck would come out of this alive and whole and that she would get to see him again. "See him…before…Beckman." She strains to get the words out, knowing that time, as always, is running out and is surprised when she sees Casey smile or at least smirk in response._

"_The geek, sorry, nerd, has my sat phone. I'll give him a call." He reaches for the phone by her bedside only to be stopped by a voice from the doorway._

"_That won't be necessary, Major Casey. Or should I say Colonel Casey? Your work here has been stellar, not only exposing one of Fulcrum's largest domestic bases but also in apprehending a Fulcrum Intersect and bringing in Agent Walker." It's only then that she finally acknowledges Sarah and the mess that she had created._

"_Agent Walker, while I understand your dedication to your job, I cannot condone the stealing of government property in order to do so. Your actions in downloading the Intersect are unacceptable and as of this moment, you are under arrest and will be escorted back to our holding facility." She looks at Colonel Casey and is surprised to see that he does not at all look as happy as she thought he would be considering he was the one who had brought her up to speed on what had happened in the past two days._

"_Colonel Casey, do you have something to add?" Perhaps she had read him wrong and he wanted a more stringent punishment for the errant CIA agent. She was not going to be one to deny him his wish considering that she finally had bragging rights over Graham when it came down to who could cause more damage to Fulcrum._

"_Yes, ma'am. I wanted to officially state that I had requested Agent Walker to download the Intersect, ma'am. It was a gamble on my part to gain access to Fulcrum's premises and attack from within. As there are still spies within the Agency, it was decided that I would report that she had stolen it, in order to mask our intentions." Casey cannot tell if the General was buying into his story although he can see Sarah's eyes widen at his lie and her head begin to shake. He was a firm believer in owning up to one's responsibilities and in this instance knows that Sarah has paid her dues in full and should not be punished any more._

"_No…Lie..."She cannot allow him to put his career on the line for her. It was a matter of principle to her that she never allowed Bryce to do it and wouldn't start now, not when she had already accepted the consequences. _

"_Yes, Agent Walker, it wasn't a lie that we were working together." He turns and winks at her, knowing that Beckman cannot see it and hoping that she will just accept that he has chosen to play the role of arbiter here and had decided that she did not need to be reprimanded further._

_Beckman is somewhat taken aback by his admission as she mulls over his words, trying to divine any additional meaning from them but comes up short. "Very well, I shall take all that you have said under consideration. However, I understand from Dr Zarnow that Agent Walker's condition is still in a deteriorating state due to the Intersect download and…" She trails off, at least having the decency to look a bit saddened as she continues this time talking directly to Sarah, "And that you may not have much time left. We do need to bring you in and debrief you and see if we can extract any more information before you…" Again she stops._

"_Die." The word is spoken matter-of-factly by Sarah and she does not blink as she stares at General Beckman until the woman finally turns and walks out of the room._

**Mike O'Callaghan Federal Hospital, Las Vegas, 1.04 am, 7th April 2009**

Chuck holds the phone close to his ear; his feet rooted to the spot despite knowing that the four armed guards would probably use force to move him along should the General give the order. He just needs to hear her voice as it's become as essential to him as air.

"Sarah," he repeats again, holding the phone even tighter in hope that he'll finally be able to talk to her as Casey had promised. He cannot describe the crushing disappointment though when he hears his name said in a voice that did not belong to Sarah.

"Chuck, I'm so sorry." Jill knows that those words would mean almost nothing to Chuck but she still needs to say them. She can see the impatient look on the big man's face as his jaw further tightens at her words. Major, no Colonel Casey was what the younger soldier had called him and although they had not been introduced, Jill had immediately known that he was the one who could grant her wish.

It had been a simple trade really, all the information she had about Fulcrum, garnered not only from the Intersect but from her years of working for them. All of it traded for one short meeting with Chuck Bartowski. She's not so afraid of death any longer, knowing that Vincent has died and that her entire life was now at the mercy of the NSA. They could not hurt her anymore than Fulcrum had but at least she would have managed to make amends for one thing.

"I hope you'll forgive me but I always believed I never really had a choice in all of this. But…I know that I have a choice now and I'm going to try and do things differently." She does not know if he's still listening to her and wishes that he had at least acknowledged her name on the call.

Chuck truly does not know what to say to her. His entire focus has been on Sarah and still was. Jill was a product of his past and she was also partly responsible for the mess that he was in. Overall, it really did not matter if she apologized as it would not have an impact on his life or happiness. However, he understands that she had probably not been given a chance in all of this and had been a pawn since the beginning. Her apology was more closure for her than for him and it would not cost him anything to acknowledge that.

"You don't need my forgiveness but if you want it, you have it. Jill…" He pauses, not really sure he should speak his mind but knowing that it needs to be said. "There is a way to remove the Intersect. I promise I'll try and do whatever I can." He looks down at the wrist pad still attached to his hand and knows that he has the means to save Sarah and Jill.

"Time's up." Chuck can hear Casey's voice in the background and before he or Jill can say anything else, the line is cut off. He looks at the phone again, willing it to ring but it does not.

"Sir?" The young soldier addressing him is looking a bit impatient and Chuck does not blame him. It's not easy being at the mercy of someone else's whim and not knowing how or why things are the way they are.

"I'm sorry. Where are we going?" He starts to walk forward as the soldiers fall in line and the question is directed to any one of them but it's the young one walking nest to him that answers.

"That's classified, Sir." His voice does not betray any feeling and Chuck knows that it's something that he will never get use to, although it's the world he has accepted.

**Fort Meade, Maryland, 2.10pm, 8th April 2009**

His eyes are strained and tired and he has not had any sleep except for a three hour nap yesterday. The program in his wrist computer is not more complex than what he is used to but the data architecture is so different and unique that Chuck does not want to change anything until he can understand the full ramifications of doing so. He is putting himself under pressure because he knows this program is the only thing that can save Sarah and Jill.

He stares at the screens before him, trying to understand each line of code while looking for the initiation sequence that would allow him to run it and de-Intersect both Sarah and Jill. If only his dad were here, but even though the operation was a success, Stephen Bartowski was still in a coma with no prognosis for when he would regain consciousness.

"You need to get some sleep." He feels her hands on his shoulders and it's the first time he has relaxed his tense muscles in as many hours. He grabs onto her hand, stilling its movement as he turns to look at her, hoping to see that she has not further deteriorated. He takes in the curve of her neck as she bends over him as well as her pale complexion knowing that, although she looks as beautiful as he's ever seen her, the Intersect she had downloaded was destroying her from within.

Sarah loves the way he looks at her, but she can tell that he's doing so because he wants to see how she's faring. She had taken extra care in combing her hair and actually putting on makeup in order to hide the bruises and dark circles. However, she knows that she cannot fool him and he can see that she is still in pain. The headaches are actually not as bad as Bryce had experienced although unlike Bryce, hers never really went away. She had scared him when she had flashed this morning and the blood gushing out of her nose had taken him by surprise. He had held her until the blood flow had stopped but she could tell that it had affected him profoundly.

"I'm fine. How are you?" He wants her to tell him the truth and not try and shield him from anything. However, he understands that in order for her to do that, she would have to allow him in and it's not an easy thing for a CIA agent to do. He can see in the way she clenches her hands and the tightness around her eyes that she is still in pain and the more time he wastes, the worse her condition gets. He does not want her to end up like Jill and understands that it's up to him to save them.

She smiles and shrugs, not wanting to tell a lie but still trying to protect him from the whole truth. "It's not unbearable but I think it's because I'm here with you." She reaches out to touch his cheek and bends down to kiss him. She tallies each kiss in her head, and she's up to three today. It's a talisman of sorts to her and she knows it pisses off General Beckman who has probably kept tabs on the both of them. She does not have much time as her next debriefing session starts in an hour. She would like to use the time differently with Chuck, but she understands that he needs to eat and rest and just being in his company is enough to sooth her frayed nerves and headaches.

"The program can wait and you need to eat. Besides, you've practically memorized it and if you can't find it, then it's not there." She tugs on his hand only to feel him pull back, his head swivelling towards the screen as he begins to type furiously.

"You're a genius and if I didn't know that we were being watched 24/7, I'd show you how much I love you right here." He can't believe that he missed something so simple. He had assumed that the program worked in reverse for everything except the initialization sequence. He had been looking for it but now realizes that it would not be there. He would need to enter it into the program at just the right point.

He's so comfortable with the word that it takes her by surprise and she does not register its meaning until a full ten seconds later. Her hand is still on his shoulder and her eyes are staring at him and not the screen. "Chuck."

It's the way she says his name that catches his attention. Every time there is a slightly different intonation that imbues it with a different meaning. Sometimes exasperation, but more and more often, it reflects the love he knows she has for him. He's tried to tell her twice before and it's only now that he has succeeded and he knows that she does reciprocate it and the word itself is not necessary from her.

He turns and stands up. "I know." He smiles as he takes her hand and walks towards the table with the food. "Let's eat and you can tell me about Paris or Beijing or somewhere exotic that we should go to when this is over." It's a game that they've started playing despite knowing that even when the Intersects are removed from Sarah and Jill, Chuck would still have his and he had pledged support to the CIA.

What Sarah has vowed is that she would fight to ensure that he would get to live the life he wanted and she hoped to be with him, every step of the way.

* * *

"How is the de-Intersect program coming along?" Graham does not like being on the other side of the call and not having a good grasp of what was happening on the ground. However, the fact that both Sarah and Charles Bartowski were allowed to report directly to him, at least allowed him some comfort that he still had a good handle on everything.

"I'm almost finished with my review and thanks to Agent Walker I should have it ready tonight." He can see her weakening just slightly with each passing minute and he wants to remove it from her as soon as possible. "We should be able to remove it from Agent Walker and Jill Roberts later tonight." Chuck finally breaks into a smile, knowing that he'll be able to fulfil his own promise.

"About that, Mr Bartowski…" Graham can see General Beckman staring at him, expecting him to be the one to pronounce a death sentence on Jill Roberts. "Both the NSA and CIA have agreed that it would not be wise to remove the Intersect from Miss Roberts as we are still only a quarter way through with our debriefing. We have not fully debriefed Agent Walker either but understand that unlike Miss Roberts, whose nerve deterioration has reached a constant state, Agent Walker's can be saved if the procedure is done as soon as possible."

Chuck shakes his head, trying to analyse what Graham is actually proposing and coming up with an answer that he does not like. "But… The program can only be run once. I can't reboot it and put in another initialization sequence. Jill and Sarah need to do it together, tonight."

"I'm afraid that is out of the question, Mr Bartowski. We have accommodated as best we can but we will not compromise on national security." Beckman finally speaks and ensures that her tone does not open up any room for argument.

Chuck wears his emotions so clearly on his face that Sarah can see how much this is bothering him and how he's trying so hard to maintain his own degreee of morality in all of this confusion. She does not want this for him and knows that she may be able to take some of his burden away. She is not trying to be self-sacrificing but she cannot in good conscience sit idly by and see Chuck suffer.

"What if we wait?" Sarah's question draws all eyes on her but she understands the implications and directs the question at Dr Zarnow. "How long before my condition degenerates to a point where it is not reversible?" She had spoken to him extensively and knows that her situation is still a bit different from Jill's. Jill was dying slowly but would still have a few years ahead of her, like Bryce had. It was just an unfortunate quirk of her biochemistry, coupled with a more invasive Intersect that has resulted in her much faster deteriorating condition. She's used to playing the odds and is dispassionately trying to assess her situation to see if she can help Chuck help Jill.

"I don't know. Each time you flash, it seems to speed up the nerve degeneration. Some of which cannot be repaired. Your eyesight, left hand motility and hearing all seem to have worsened." Zarnow looks down at his file before continuing. "I would advise that the sooner it is removed, the better."

Chuck's eyes widen at Zarnow's words because he had no idea of the extent of the effects on Sarah. She still moved with the grace that had become familiar to him. He shudders at the thought of her losing her sight or mobility. He knows that by agreeing to this, he would be as complicit in Jill's death as the rest of the people here but he had no choice in the matter. "Then it's settled, we will do it tonight."

"She didn't choose to be Intersected." Sarah had been in on the interrogation sessions for Jill, listening to her version of events had given her new insight into Bryce and Chuck, and empathy towards the woman who had been a pawn for Fulcrum. "Fleming abducted her and downloaded the Intersect into her without her consent or understanding. She did not choose it." She sees Chuck and Casey reach the same conclusion despite her not saying the rest of what she wants to say.

"Sarah..."

She knows that Chuck does not want her to finish her speech but she had joined the CIA to help her nation and to make up for her dad's misdeeds. And being complicit in Jill's death sentence just did not sit right with her, not when she can see how its affecting Chuck.

"I chose to download it. I volunteered for the project early on." She finally states the obvious and can see Chuck's frightened face looking back at her. She does not blink as she holds his gaze. "You accidentally downloaded it as well and it's not your job to carry this." She knows fully well that Chuck would have to work for them now that they knew he had the Intersect. And that would mean giving up a job that he loved and possibly having to lie to Ellie. She does not want him trading his freedom for her life or for his innocence. She knows she is strong enough to hold on for just a bit longer if she had too, especially if Chuck was there with her.

"I'm not dying or suffering from nerve degeneration. It doesn't affect me like it did Bryce or Jill." Chuck takes her hand into his. "Or you."

"Let's cut to the chase Walker. You knew you weren't compatible when you downloaded it and that eventually you'd want to have it removed. Keeping it now makes no sense." Casey is the voice of reason as he finally joins in the fray. "If Bartowski's enough of a genius to understand the program, he should be able to recreate it eventually and there's also Bartowski senior." He walks towards the screen and stands next to Sarah. "Agent Walker is an exemplary agent but she is too close to all of this to be able to make an unbiased choice. The Intersect is killing her for no good reason and it should be removed immediately. As for Jill Roberts, she's always had a choice to choose a side after she got Intersected and she's only done so now." He turns to look at Chuck and addresses his question to him.

"Can you try and rebuild another de-intersect program?"

Chuck always thought his dad was smarter than he was and even now is amazed at the intricacies he is finding in the program. However, the fact of the matter was that it had taken both of them to finish the program that de-Intersected him. With the knowledge and understanding gleamed from the current one, he could possibly write something that might work. He nods slowly as he answers, "Uh, yeah, yeah, I think I can."

"Good. Then it's settled. Agent Walker will undergo the procedure tonight and Jill Roberts will continue to be debriefed until Dr. Bartowski can create another program." Graham sighs in relief at his final words. Sarah was one of the best agents he had and it would have been a tragedy to lose her. Furthermore, after the meeting today, he can see that it would make quite a bit of sense to pair up Bartowski with Walker and Colonel Casey. She was definitely too emotionally invested in the good doctor and Colonel Casey's inclusion would allow Beckman her say on the project, but also balance Sarah's emotional attachment to Dr. Bartowski.

* * *

Sarah hasn't said anything since the meeting and he wants to say so many things but has had to control himself because he really does not know where to start. He enters the final few lines of code before pushing the keyboard away and turning his chair to face her. He can tell that she's studiously trying to ignore him.

She's reading or at least doing a good job of pretending to read the files before her although her eyes have that faraway look in them. Her profile reminded him of one of Albrecht Dürer's Madonna and child paintings. "I chose to download the Intersect back at the Fulcrum base. No one forced me to do it." He finally gets her to look up at him with his words.

"But you are being forced to work for us." She does not want this life for him and she needs him to understand that. She has always done the best for the few people that she had loved unconditionally, be it staying with her dad despite her misgivings on his cons or supporting Bryce. She truly loves Chuck and feels compelled to protect him and ensure that he does not get unnecessarily hurt.

"It's not so bad being partnered with me, is it?" It's difficult to explain to her that even though he loved his life at Stanford, he never really felt like he was fully living and he always knew that there was something more for him. Initially, he had always put it down to his dad's abandonment and his unpublished work but in the end, it had taken a beautiful CIA agent and a dastardly evil organization to show him that he could do so much more. "I want to make a difference and if this thing in my head allows me to do that then it's something I really want to do." He can't say it any simpler than that.

She smiles at his words and the naiveté of them. "You'll be forced to make difficult decisions, things that you should not have to shoulder." How can she explain the decisions that are just a tad more right than wrong or the fact that collateral damage was an acceptable outcome in all situations.

"I killed Vincent." He says the words in a matter-of-fact tone, although his voice still carries a tinge of panic and guilt. He sees her eyes go wide as she processes the information. "I flashed and reacted so quickly that I did not register it until it was done." The regret becomes clearer in his voice.

She wants to offer comfort but she knows that this is the point she has been trying to make. "You should not have to live with decisions like that. It's not fair." He deserves so much more.

"Somebody has to. You do." He wants to be with her for a million different reasons and understands that all his choices have led up to this. He had not stumbled blindly along each step of the way. It may have seemed like it in the beginning but in the end, it had been his choice and he made it because he wanted to. "So help me make all these difficult decisions. Share the burden with me. Share your burden with me." When he first met her, he knew she was way out of his league and even now, there is a discrepancy between them on a number of levels. However, with the Intersect, he's almost sure that they can be equal partners in this, if she lets him.

Sarah never thought that he could any anything else that would make her fall in love with him anymore than she already had. And with those words, she had been proven wrong. She does not care about the cameras or the fact that she is behaving decidedly unlike a decorated CIA officer should as she closes the gap between them in three strides and straddles him on the chair.

Finally, she really does not have any more words and she can see that he doesn't either. All he is waiting for is an answer from her and instead of words, she shows him by kissing him. Four, she counts in her head, knowing that this one is a bit more special than the last.

* * *

"Miss Roberts, Colonel Casey tells me that you have Intel that you can only give to me?" Beckman had allotted all of five minutes to this session, knowing that they already have extracted as much of the useful information from Jill Roberts as possible.

"I need to speak to Chuck Bartowski." She had given them all the Fulcrum names and places and details and everything she could recall from the past six years and had been expecting some form of confirmation that they would help her like Chuck had promised. However, every time she had asked about removing the Intersect, no answer had been forthcoming. Worse yet, she had given every bit of information she could recall and when she could not remember anything else, they had initiated her flashes. Each one, providing just a bit more information, but at the same time sending her a bit closer to full paralysis.

Beckman does not have any patience for this and stands up to walk towards the door, not even caring to answer the woman. She touches the door handle only to have her hand stilled by the next words uttered.

"Leader can be lured out of hiding to kill Chuck Bartowski." She's grasping at straws but she has nothing left to lose. She's lived without her freedom for so long that she cannot recall what it felt like to have it. Right now, all she wants is the chance to start over somewhere and she knows that she'll have to escape from here to do it. She looks up to see the general turned around and staring at her. "He sent me to retrieve the Intersect as well as to bring Chuck in."

"Both of which you have failed at. He probably thinks you're dead or captured. Your usefulness to us is fast running out as well." Beckman does not mince her words to the woman. Jill Roberts represented the antithesis of her agents and it was unacceptable to even contemplate negotiating with her.

"But what if I…what if I continue to provide you with information. Become a double agent. Take out the Intersect from me and I'll go back." She's willing to promise anything to get what she needs.

"What makes you think they'll accept you without the Intersect?" Beckman had always wondered about Bryce's skill as an agent compared to his usefulness as the Intersect. She had acknowledged both in him but cannot do the same for this woman.

"They'll accept me without one if I bring them a substitute. I know you have one in your possession." She's talking about the cube Bryce had stolen and knows that the blond agent with Chuck was in possession of it. Jill is unsure herself if she's lying or not but just wants one chance to get out of the entire mess and knows that if she meets with Chuck, he'll understand and let her.

The concept is not entirely unacceptable to Beckman as she mulls over the possibilities. A mole would give her insight into Fulcrum and possibly information that would cause its total demise. However, she does not trust Jill and would bet good money that she would disappear as soon as she had the Intersect removed.

"I will only say this once. You will go back to Fulcrum and you will go back with your Intersect. We will monitor you for one year and should you bring us enough information to destroy them, we will remove your Intersect and give you a new identity and location." She can see the young woman's shoulders slump as her words are registered.

"Agent Bartowski, Agent Walker and Colonel Casey will be running the operation and you will report to them." Graham has already broached this subject with her and with the inclusion of Colonel Casey, it seemed like she would still have full purview over the project. She had to compromise on agreeing to a joint lead of Walker and Casey but even she could tell that it made sense.

"Ok." Jill finally accepts it, knowing that she really does not have a choice in the matter and that going forward she had to take each day as it came and eventually, hopefully, leave all of it behind.

* * *

Beckman strides down the hallway towards Casey, who is standing at the viewing window, looking at Stephen Bartowski still form. "Any change in his status?"

Casey turns to his superior, before answering, knowing that he needs to ensure his allegiances are not questioned. "He's still comatose although he has shown some response to the tests. Agent Bartowski is requesting to move him to a private facility."

Beckman is surprised that Casey is conveying the message, "Out of the question. He is the architect of the Intersect. His knowledge is key." She can see that Casey wants to say something else. "What is it, Colonel. Spit it out."

"Yes maam. Agent Bartowski is a novice and with Agent Walker's help, I think we should be able to achieve our objectives on bringing down Fulcrum. However, he's tied to his sister and father." Casey had spoken to Sarah and finally understands that Chuck will do whatever it takes but if his family is in danger, he would fight to protect them and those he loved. He does not want to use that per se but needs to ensure that it is also not used against them as a team. "We need to ensure that his sister is protected and that his father is seen to be at least free."

She trusts Casey up to a point and nods as she listens to his reasoning. "What do you suggest?" Overall, Beckman will always ensure that the end justified the means and it does not cost her anythnig to agree to Casey's plan, konwing that she can rescind the offer at any time and place both Chuck's sister and father under arrest should he not comply with any of her orders.

**The End**

**Ok, so less obvious poll questions (which is difficult since mxpw has Ch 14!)**

**1) The main difference from canon for me is that this Chuck wants to lead this life or at least try it with Sarah. I don't think it changes the character too drastically..Agee/Disagree**

**2) There is one last character from canon in Ch 14 to be introduced. Any guesses?**

**3) Any guesses on what gets wrapped up and how in the last chapter? Anyone (besides mxpw) gets a gold star and read my next new short story if I ever get aroud to writing it down (if you want)**

**4) So next to last chance to review before final capter. Think about it, this may be your last chance to review this in 2009.**


	14. In Disguise

**A/N – So this is it. The last Chapter. A million thanks to mxpw who has been an amazing beta and whose comments I have always looked forward to each time I sent him a chapter. To all of you who reviewed, thanks so much. To those who took time to answer the polls, thanks for that too. I enjoyed all your responses and it was brilliant actually seeing how the story could have turned out if I took all your suggestions. I really hope you enjoy this.**

**The Inevitable Life of Chuck Bartowski**

**Chapter 14 In Disguise**

**Ft Meade Maryland, 12.10pm, 13th April 2009**

It's his third briefing and already Chuck can feel the weight of his new life pressing down on him. It's not even close to unbearable though because as always Sarah is there. He wishes though that he only worked for the CIA as they had rather gray rules on relationship between partners. It was not condoned but it was also not completely ruled out. His problem is that the NSA was pure military and fraternization on the job was not allowed. General Beckman was taking great pleasure in reminding Sarah of that right now.

"Do I make myself clear, Agent Walker?" The question is asked in a tone that brooks no argument and Sarah waits before answering. She wants to look at Chuck before agreeing to the General's demands. She really wants to give him one last chance to protest but she knows that he understands the full ramifications of the decision and Casey's need to be incorporated into Ellie, Devon and Morgan's lives.

Chuck does not look at General Beckman or at Graham on the screen on the wall. Instead, he turns slightly, knowing instinctively that Sarah is looking at him. He remembers her words about gray choices and difficult decisions and understands this is just the start. However, he also realizes that Colonel Casey is part of the team and needs a cover. He actually is ok with the cover part of the plan especially since it meant Casey always being around to protect his family. He just hates the fact that while on the job, he and Sarah are still not allowed to fraternize.

He slowly nods and winks at her, a small smile on his face and he knows it's enough. Sarah finally answers, her voice polite but still with a tinge of belligerence in its undertone. "Yes, ma'am. Perfectly. Agent Bartowski and I will do I jobs to the best of our ability but just so you understand.." she pauses and turns to wink back at Chuck. "What we do on our own time is none of your damn business." She turns on her heel and walks out and cannot help but smile when she hears Chuck stammer out a quick 'sorry and see you later' before rushing after her.

**I 95 En Route from Ft Meade to Langley, 3.41 pm, 14th April 2009**

Jill knows that it could happen at any time, but she's handcuffed and blindfolded and cannot distinguish anything beyond the fact that she's sitting in the back seat of a SUV. She hopes that when it does occur, she'll survive the encounter.

She knows the plan by heart, as well as the consequences, and just wants to get it all over with. But in order for that to occur, she needs to play her part. She does not trust Colonel Casey or even Sarah, but she does trust Chuck. He has no reason to lie to her and never had. She knows that he will do everything in his power to put together another program, so she must be patient and in the meantime, take revenge on those people who were truly responsible for her paralysis.

She feels the impact on the SUV and understands that it has begun as she holds on to the door handle. The third impact sends the car careening off the road and Jill can feel her seat belt digging into her flesh as it overturns and smashes into the barrier at the side of the expressway. The crash disorients her such that she does not protest or fight back when she feels rough hands grab her and carry her to another waiting vehicle. Her blindfold slips and she finally gets a glimpse of the sun as well the men surrounding her.

She recognizes the face of one of the men carrying her as someone she had seen at Fort Meade. It's a dangerous game for her but no different than being the Intersect. There are spies everywhere and at least for her first check in, she will have news to give to Chuck on her first find for the CIA.

She sees the needle and recoils even as she can hear the voice of one of the men telling her not to struggle. Her mission has begun and she hopes that this one will end better than the last.

**Packard Building, Stanford, 3.08pm 28th April 2009**

Alice smooths down her skirt and touches her hair for the fifth time as she waits for the elevator to stop at the correct floor. Even now, she wishes that she had gone home to change or at least worn her lab coat over her clothes as a sort of shield. She really hopes that he will at least listen to her apology and knows that she does not deserve even that. However, she hopes that Professor Bartowski is as forgiving as she knows him to be and that he will forgive her despite what she had done to him.

When Marie from the Dean's office had called this morning, she had been expecting another dead end on news about Professor Bartowski, only to be told that he had finally called and requested an indefinite leave of absence. She had pressed Marie for more information and was finally rewarded when Marie's voice dropped to a conspiratorial whisper, telling her that the Dean had given Professor Bartowski only up to this afternoon to clear his office.

The elevator finally opens and she walks down the hallway towards his office. She can hear things being moved and at least knows that she can have some closure here. It's been a month since she's seen him and in that time, Alice has come to terms with the fact that she's missed her chance with him. At least now, she can be truthful in telling him that he deserves more and she hopes he will find it.

He's reaching for the box on the top shelf; most of his upper body is hidden by the half-filled boxes stacked haphazardly on one another when he hears the tentative hello coming from the doorway. The room is a mess because he really does not know where anything is but Chuck is his buddy and had asked him for a favor.

"Ummm, yeah, hi." Morgan maneuvers from around the stack of boxes to see the second most beautiful brunette he has ever seen. In his mind, Ellie will always take precedence, although he knows that ship has sailed, leaving him a lonely captain looking for a first mate.

"Oh, sorry." Alice stops short when she sees that it's not Professor Bartowski. "I'm uh, I'm looking for Professor Bartowski. I was told he'd be clearing his office." She does not know why she feels like crying and hates the fact that her glasses magnify her eyes.

"Hey, are you ok? Here have a seat. Chuck's not here. He asked me to help him… I'm Morgan by the way." He pushes a chair in her direction and extends his arm, hoping that she does not cry but wanting to see how he can help.

"He's not coming?" She wills herself not to cry, not really wanting to frighten off the nice person who's trying to help her. "I'm sorry. I just wanted to talk to Professor Bartowski."

She looks so bereft that Morgan gently pats her on the back twice before snatching his arm away when he realizes what he's doing. "Hey, no, don't look like that, I'll try and get him on the phone, just hang on a minute." Morgan takes out his phone and dials, keeping both hands on the pad even though he still has an urge to pat her on the back again.

Alice looks up at him, her expression a mixture of hope and gratitude as she hears him connect the call. "Hey, Chuck, my man. Listen, I know you said that this was a private line and all and that I was only to call in an emergency and not like a computer emergency or a Call of Duty kinda…um yeah…no…ok so getting to the point, I have um…" Morgan looks expectantly at her.

"Alice."

"Yeah, so I have Alice and she really needs to talk to you, man. Uh, yeah…I think this is important." Morgan finally hands the phone over to her. "Go ahead, he says he wants to talk to you too."

Alice takes a deep breath before taking the phone, holding it close to her ear as she listens to the voice on the other end. "Umm, hi, Professor Bartowski." Her voice is tentative at first until she hears his greeting and his next words not only forgiving her, but asking her to call him Chuck. The sense of relief that washes over her is immense and she's glad that she's sitting down. "I just wanted to apologize." Again, his response is amazing as she nods at his words, each one finally allowing her to understand that he does not hold a grudge against her and that he's leaving because he wants to do something else and it's partly because of her that he's realized that he has the ability to do more.

She's sad that her feelings will never be reciprocated but elated in knowing that he bears her no ill will and also wants the best for her. "I hope you'll be happy." She means it and knows he means it too when he wishes her the same, adding that his friend Morgan Grimes is a good guy too. She says goodbye and hangs up, finally handing the phone back to Morgan.

"Thanks. Umm, Profe…I mean Chuck, says to thank you and that you're a good guy." She smiles, a dimple appearing on her left cheek. She had not intended to tell him that but he's been so nice and sweet that she knows it's the right thing to say.

"Okey dokey then. I'm just gonna pack up here…" Morgan's never been good with the ladies and he knows that Chuck knows that. He turns to pick up a discarded book only to swiftly turn around again before Alice can react. "Umm, so as I was saying, I'm going to finish up here and when I'm done…" He can see her brown eyes magnified by her glasses as she looks at him unblinking, her face expectant. "Maybe we can have coffee?"

"Ok, but I think you'll get done faster if I stay and help."

Morgan wants to do his victory dance but knows it would be a tad too much and settles for just nodding as starts to fill in the boxes as quickly as he can.

**Silverlake, California, 6.23pm, 29th April 2009**

"Whoa, honey, don't you think you've, you know, gone a bit overboard?" Devon surveys the food laden dining room table while directing the question to Ellie as she scurries around the kitchen, filling yet another serving dish with hot food.

"No, Devon, I don't." She does not mean to be curt with him but Chuck was coming over to see them for the first time since that fateful morning when he had asked for her help. He had not told her much, except that he was probably going to take a sabbatical from teaching and reassess his life. He had sounded happy, if a bit tired, and had hinted that he hoped she would be ok if he did not come alone. Ellie had been so tempted to ask if he was bringing Sarah but held her tongue instead just telling him that she would make his favorite foods.

Ellie had precious few memories of her mother but even then, she knew she had more than Chuck. And the one thing she could remember was her mother cooking big meals for them as a family, either to celebrate a special occasion or to cheer up her dad when he came home disappointed that one of his ideas did not work. It was her only real link to her mom and she hopes Chuck will also understand the significance. She does not understand his choice to stop teaching but welcomes the fact that he's back in her life and that they will hopefully be able to start being a family again.

"I want him to know that I'm there for him no matter what his decision is and even if I don't understand it, I'm happy if he is. So we're celebrating." She ends the sentence on a definitive note, challenging Devon to contradict her as she turns to stare at him.

"Whatever you say, babe." He loves her regardless of her quirks, or actually because of them, and he's always known that family was important. He's looking forward to seeing Chuck again and ensuring that Ellie gets the family reunion she wanted. He looks at their wine selection and opens a nice Zinfandel from Napa, handing Ellie a glass to calm her nerves.

He goes to open the door when he hears the doorbell, expecting to see Chuck only to be confronted with a total stranger holding an empty milk carton. "Hi neighbor, I'm John Casey. Moved in next door yesterday."

"Uh, yeah....hey, dude. We were wondering about all the moving boxes. Anyway, welcome to the neighborhood. Hey El, come and meet our new neighbor, John…um…" Devon trails off as Ellie joins him at the door, carrying one of her pumpkin pies.

"Casey, John Casey. Nice to meet you, ma'am. That sure is one great smelling pie." His stomach growl adds credence to his statement and Ellie's smile widens further when she sees Chuck walk through the archway, walking hand in hand with Sarah.

Chuck was always the one who collected strays, be it the orphaned cat at school or Morgan, and she does not know when she picked up the habit as well but she knows she has as she extends an invite to John. "We have more than enough food, why don't you join us?"

The double take he does disorients him as much as the offer as he looks at Ellie and then at Chuck as he reaches the door. "Um, no thank you, it seems you have guests and I only came by to borrow some milk and to introduce myself." He really only needs to get in the house and plant a bug or two to test his equipment.

"Sure, come on in and I'll get you that moo juice." Devon invites Casey in as he sees Ellie mist up as soon as Chuck reached the door, wanting to give them a bit of privacy.

Chuck immediately hugs his sister, holding her tight, hoping that she can feel his love for her. It's difficult to accept that he will have to lie to her in order to protect her but overall, he understands that it's a choice he has made for now. He can feel Sarah's hand on his back, her presence giving him the support and courage he needs to move forward. "Hey sis, I missed you." He whispers in her ear as he feels her response when she just hugs him tighter.

"I promised Devon I wasn't going to cry." Ellie finally pulls back and gives Sarah a watery smile. "How are you feeling?" She directs the question at Sarah, hoping that the blond has recovered from the injuries she had sustained last month.

So many things had occurred since their initial meeting that Sarah has to pause before answering. This time, she can feel Chuck's hand lightly touch her own as he indicates his presence to her. She wants so desperately to take his hand but knows that their cover is as co-workers and friends, nothing more.

"Better, I'm better, and I just wanted to thank you for helping me and to ensure that you understand that it's all over now and Chuck is safe." It's always been easy to lie but Sarah knows that she'll always try and tell Ellie the truth and ensure that she does what she says.

It had been Graham's plan to have Chuck tell his sister that he had decided to work freelance for the government, writing benign programs for the Census department. Sarah was retired and would serve as his liaison and the idea was for her to bump into Casey and start some kind of relationship so that it would not seem weird when he started hanging out with Chuck. Surprisingly, it was Casey who had vehemently objected to the whole idea, only to have Beckman overrule him. In the end, Chuck had been the one to tell Casey that it would all work out for the best as a start, and Sarah had to convince him that they would not need to show much public displays of affection. Sarah's cover would enable her to hang out with Chuck and with Casey as her cover boyfriend, it would also allow him to be there and protect Chuck and his family.

"That's great." Ellie pulls Sarah into the house and directs her next question at Chuck. "So just tell me you're happy and even though you've probably stalled your career with a sabbatical, tell me you and Sarah are happy." Ellie can see that there is something between them and even last time, she could tell that her baby brother had been smitten. He may not have admitted it then but it would only make sense that he had done so subsequently. He looks so content and she knows she can put it down to finding closure with his sad discovery of their dad in a coma. However, she can tell it's more than that. He had always looked a bit lost but today, he looks just a bit more grown up than before.

"No, I mean yes, I'm happy and I guess so is Sarah but we're…just…we're not.." He wishes he could tell her the truth but there's too much at stake. He knows what is important though and thoroughly understands that its now up to him to protect those he loves as well as to accomplish the things that he knows he can do with the help of the Intersect and most importantly with Sarah by his side.

"Ellie, I'm really grateful to your brother for all his help but we're not together. I mean we're friends and everything…" She sees Chuck look at her, relief etched on his face but sadness dimming his eyes due to the lie. "And since we're working together now, it's for the best." She can see Ellie's skeptical look and deftly changes the topic as she compliments the wonderful smells wafting from the kitchen.

Sarah walks towards the kitchen, nearly bumping into Casey at the entrance. They do a little dance of avoidance with Sarah laughing as they feint left and then right, finally stopping as Casey holds onto her arms and deftly moves to one side. She extends her arm and introduces herself, all the while knowing Chuck is watching and that her heart solely belongs to him regardless of her external demeanor.

Casey can feel Chuck's eyes on him and hopes that the nerd can at least try to mask his emotions. He does not like doing this as much as Chuck hates it but it's the job and at least Walker was trying to sell it, although her eyes do not in any way reflect the wide smile on her face.

"So, John, are you sure you won't join us?" Devon offers again, seeing how much food Ellie had already prepared and noticing Casey giving Sarah the once over. It's not that he thinks Chuck does not have a shot with Sarah but more that a little competition would do Chuck good. Devon has faith that he will win out in the end. He can see the way they move, always instinctively knowing where each other is at but still not touching. It's weird, but also perhaps just the two of them taking it slow, not wanting to start something just yet in view of all the changes in their lives.

"Sure." Casey nods, still holding Sarah's gaze. It's all a job to him and he hopes his two partners understand that.

Ellie takes Devon's hand, wondering why he had invited John but trusting him all the same. She does not like the way he's looking at Sarah or the way Sarah is looking at him and for the life of her she cannot understand why her brother is not doing anything. However, taking all the recent changes in his life and putting it into context, she can imagine that he's probably going to need some time. But as his big sister, she has the prerogative to at least ensure that he gets the chance she knows he wants.

"John, why don't you sit next to me and tell me a bit about yourself. Chuck you go there and Sarah can sit by you with Morgan next to her, if he actually shows up." It's the best compromise she can do and is at least relieved to see Chuck's face brighten just a little with the arrangement.

It's like a new start for her and her brother and she's looking forward to it. The dinner goes well with Morgan showing up halfway with a guest of his own. She cannot understand how everyone thinks there is a resemblance between her and Alice but they do and she accepts the fact with grace.

It's only when Sarah excuses herself to use the bathroom and she sees both Casey and Chuck stand up as she leaves the table, does she see acknowledge that things will never be simple as she notes her brother's longing look as well as Casey's expectant one.

Her only shining moment of hope is near the end of dinner when Chuck volunteers to wash the dishes and Sarah agrees to help. She sees her brother take out his phone to answer a call as Sarah leans in close, their heads almost touching. Their bodies comfortably close as Sarah speaks into the phone and Chuck lightly touches her arm as if giving her support. It's an intimate scene of a generic moment in time, so much so that Ellie cannot understand the incongruity of them pretending to be friends when she can see that they are not.

Ellie does not see Chuck touch Sarah after the incident in the kitchen and even when they leave, they walked their separate ways when they reached the fountain, with Sarah giving her phone number to Casey as they looked on.

"You ok, babe?" Devon wraps his arms around Ellie as she leans back into him.

"Yeah, I just…" She trails off as she sees Sarah wistfully look back, not at Casey but at Chuck, before she wraps her coat tighter around her and walks the other way. "I just wish that they'll realize what's in front of them and not take too long."

He rests his chin on her shoulder and pulls her closer. "You know, I have a good feeling that they will."

**Chateau Marmont, Los Angeles, 8.38pm 29th April**

Jill sits at the bar, nursing her second vodka tonic and wishing that she could have a third and a fourth. However, she at least feels filled with more purpose than she has had in a long while. Leader had not been pleased with the destruction of the base but had welcomed her back with open arms, more due to her Intersect than anything else.

She still had to undergo their psych evals and a truth serum session, both of which she passed; not because she had been telling the truth but because all she had to do to avoid lying was to trigger a flash. It not only affected her neurologically but also psychologically, allowing her to think she was telling the truth. Her clothes, watch, earrings and necklace all had patterns interwoven into them, allowing her to trigger a flash at will. It had been Sarah's idea, although both her and Chuck had cautioned against doing it for extended periods knowing that it would result in her continued slow deterioration.

She passed all their tests and only now had been sent out on a new mission. The information was sketchy at best but at least for her first report back, she can give them the name of one of the moles in the NSA. She would like to do more though as she scans the room again, hoping to recognize her contact or at least hoping her contact would recognize her.

She turns back to her drink only to finally notice someone sitting on her right.

"So, love, should I buy you another drink or would you rather just go up to my room." His accent is jarring because it is so at odds with his roughish appearance. It's all very upper crust English but with a hint of underlying danger taking into account his five o'clock shadow. She does not react as she signals the bartender for another drink before using her code phrase.

"I thought it would rain today." The clear night sky belied her words. His answer back is cryptic but provides her with the knowledge that he is the contact with yet another iteration of an Intersect chip.

"Clear skies all the way." He finally turns to face her, hand held out. "Cole Barker." She is not the person he had expected and it does throw him a bit. But he has a job to accomplish and steels himself to move forward with this. "I'm in suite 5D." He places a key on the bar and walks toward the elevator. He's experienced enough to know that regardless of how people look like, they're all guilty of something and it's the only thought that gets him through his job. He's here to bring down Fulcrum from within and it is his only goal.

Choices have never been plentiful in Jill's life but she can see a number before her, each leading to a different inevitability. She signals the barman again and asks for a phone. She dials a number that she has memorized and waits for it to connect.

She hears his laughter before he answers and sighs before launching into her first report in. "I don't have much time so if Sarah is there, she should hear this too."

"She is." It's the only words he says.

"There is an agent called Myers at the NSA. He's Fulcrum. I'm at the Chateau Marmont and my new contact is a Cole Barker. He's supposed to have a new Intersect chip or at least access to one. Leader is expecting me to bring in both Cole and the chip."

It's Sarah who answers her, "Good, we'll follow up on Myers and Cole and will do a drop by the hotel pool tomorrow if we find anything. Good luck."

Jill hangs up, grabs the key while tossing a few bills onto the bar and turns to walk towards the elevator. It's not the life she had imagined but at least she gets to make her own choices each day.

_**Fort Meade, Maryland, 7.13am, 9th April 2009**_

_He's sitting next to her bed, her hand held firmly in his as he waits patiently for her to wake up. The program had been run last night and like his personal experience, she's been unconscious since it ended. Her breathing is fine and her pupils show the appropriate response, as do all her other vital signs. At this juncture, all he is really waiting for is for her to wake up. He places his palm near her heart, wanting to feel each heartbeat, knowing that its cadence matched his own._

_Chuck has never been one to be swayed by fairy tales or superstition. However, he cannot help but stare at her lips and think of princesses and magical kisses, so much so that he feels compelled to lean forward, touching his lips to hers. Her response back is almost instantaneous and he puts it down to serendipity as he deepens the kiss before reluctantly pulling back._

"_Hey" his smile is as wide as it can be as he sees her eyes flutter open and then land on him. Her answering smile is all he needs but he wants full confirmation that all is well as he holds up a picture, hoping to not trigger a flash. Zarnow had provided him with the picture saying that it would be the one most likely to trigger a flash in Sarah should she still have the Intersect._

_Sarah blinks trying to focus first on Chuck, drinking in his visage, before looking at the picture he is holding up. There is no pounding in her head and more importantly, she does not have any reaction to the picture. "That's a nice house." She wants him to kiss her again, already craving the missing physical connection even though she can still feel his palm near her heart._

_Chuck nods, turning it around to view it himself and unfortunately triggering his own flash. _

_Coke Can_

_British Passport with Sarah's picture_

_Files of Triad Activities_

_Maps of Kowloon_

_Various mug shots_

_Air Tickets for Mr. & Mrs. Andersen_

_Coke Can_

_The information is relatively benign but it still gives him just a bit more insight into the world he's being thrust into. He wonders if the picture was chosen on purpose as the information it provides shows a past case history of Bryce and Sarah. A Hong Kong assignment where she had to kill three men. The pictures of the crime scene, though rendered in black and white, cannot hide the violent fight culminating in their deaths._

_He shudders involuntarily and knows that she has picked up on his response as she looks at him, her blue eyes questioning. Chuck tries to smile but fails._

"_What did you see?" She can tell he has been affected and has always known that there would come a time where she would need to be honest with him about what her job had and still does entail. She cannot shield him from who she is but she would do her hardest to shield him from the more difficult aspects of the job, even if it meant taking on the most distasteful parts onto herself._

_Chuck opens his mouth but cannot articulate the horror he feels for her. He cannot blame her for taking the lives, not after knowing the background of the men she killed. However, he wonders how she manages to stay sane and hopes that he can be there for her, like perhaps Bryce had been. He sees a look of fear come over her face as she ducks her head, trying to hide her tears and it's then that he reacts as his hand reaches out to lift her chin up._

"_Kowloon 2002. I'm sorry." He sees her eyes widen and a tear falls before she hastily swipes it away, and again turns away from him as if embarrassed and afraid. Its then that he realizes again what different worlds they are from and that she thinks he will judge her. "No, Sarah…when I killed Vincent, I had you to talk to. Who did you have? But now, just so you know, I'm here and we're in this together."_

_Sarah notes that it's becoming a habit for Chuck to always say the right thing and she realizes that it's what her dad had always hoped for her, someone who understood her like he did her mom. It's then that she looks around and notes that he's probably spent the entire night in the chair just looking over her. "How's your dad, you should go and check on him." She still does not understand or agree with Stephen Bartowski's decisions but acknowledges that in the end, he had tried to make amends for his mistakes._

"_He's still in a coma but Casey says General Beckman has agreed to have him transferred to a facility in L.A. so I can visit and eventually Ellie too, when I tell her." He wants so much to tell his sister about their dad but knows most of it would be deemed classified. That's probably what he hates most about his new job, the propensity to lie with ease is something he will never get used to. The fact that he is partnered with Sarah will go a long way in making every obstacle in his way seem more trivial. He holds her hand and can feel her squeeze back._

"_I…I'm not good at this and I've got a lot to make up for." She pauses as she sees him look at her. She does not turn away but takes another breath before she can continue. She needs to tell him that she's done her job to the best of her ability because she wanted to make a difference and she accepted the fact that sometimes she had to take on the burden of judge and executioner, rendering her conscience not always clear but she is still able to sleep at night. Sarah needs him to understand that she'll do everything to ensure his conscience will always stay clear. "It's not going to be easy, but you need to trust me and do what I ask when the time comes. I know my job and you being with me are enough." She sees him smile at her comment, an enigmatic expression on his face._

"_What?" She stares at him as he finally stands up, her hand still in his. Sarah valiantly tries to sit up and only manages to when Chuck props up a pillow behind her. "Chuck, is everything ok?" He still does not say anything although she can see he's processing her words. It's only when he gets down on one knee, does she hold her breath, not trying to second guess him but totally losing all form of speech or thought as she looks at him, her blue eyes wide._

"_I don't know a lot of things about life or women or how to be a spy and I never thought I would ever feel complete. Growing up and even up until two weeks ago, I resigned myself to living a life half lived. Except right now, I know exactly what I want and what I want is to be with you, always." Chuck had initially wanted a conventional proposal but realized that with Sarah, he needed to be different. Not so different that he had to become someone else, but different enough such that she understands that this is who he is now, who he has become because of her._

"_It's a promise from me and I want one from you too." Chuck knows it's about risks and being brave but also about love and recognizing the inevitable. He looks at her as she blinks her blue eyes bright with unshed tears. She does not answer back but her ensuing smile is all he really needs as is her pull on his arm._

_Sarah pulls him to her, not trusting her voice but understanding that she needs to give him an answer. It's such a natural decision for her, knowing that this is what she's wanted all along, what she's been waiting for all this time. Their kisses all along had been driven by each of their different needs, only coming together in their execution. _

_This kiss is inimitable as it signifies all things past they have shared as well as highlights all things future that they can expect together._

**The End**

**So my final poll for this story is **

**1) I really love The Princess Bride and wanted a tiny homage to it. Those who read the book, tell me if it's a good homage or not?**

**2) Jomarch does feel all the lose ends have been tied up. Agree/Disagree**

**3) Yes, Morgan does end up with Alice and Cole was written because I felt bad for Jill. Should I have written in Alex for Casey as well?**

**4) That's it folks, all done with my little AU. Enjoy Season 3 and leave a review on your way out.**


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